Protection
by Loopstagirl
Summary: It's known that Prince Arthur of Camelot can withstand any sort of physical torture. But his servant has not had the same training. And no one can be trained to watch a friend suffer. But when Cenred holds them both captive, lessons are learnt the hard way. Episode twist of 3x07.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, all rights belong to their respective owners._

_Set during 3x07. I always thought that episode could have been so much darker, so thought I would expand on it._

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As soon as he had been taken from the room, Merlin found that he was struggling in earnest. He knew Arthur had also been dragged to his feet, but he could hear the prince yelling behind him. How did they know Cenred wouldn't just run Arthur through right now and be done with it? He could see Gwen and Morgana (he wasn't too worried about the latter) being dragged around the corner, Gwen craning back to try and stay with them.

But as soon as they were out of sight and Arthur had yet to appear, Merlin let out his own yell. He pulled against the men pushing him along as hard as he could, allowing his eyes to flash as they called instructions to each other. The man who had been rushing towards him suddenly tripped and stumbled as the floor spontaneously appeared to be uneven. Those holding his arms let go with curses and Merlin simply ran. He wasn't planning on going far, not when Arthur was still in danger, but he needed some space in order to work his own magic enough to get them out of this mess.

Fate, however, had other ideas.

Merlin had barely got a few paces away when he felt something wrap around his neck, yanking him to a stop. He tried to move forward, backwards, anywhere… but he was held fast, only succeeding in choking himself every time he tried to move. Awkwardly twisting his head around, Merlin frowned when he realised there was nothing visible there. He was being stopped by magic. As soon as he realised that, he let his gaze continue and saw the smirk on Morgause's face, her eyes burning with magic and her hand extended towards him. As Merlin struggled to breathe – even he needed air to work magic – her smirk continued. Something told him that she was planning to kill him where he stood.

"Merlin!" The yell sounded from back towards the hall and Merlin dropped to his knees, coughing and choking as the magic abruptly disappeared as swiftly as it had come. He glanced up, but Morgause had disappeared. It was clear she wasn't quite ready for Arthur to be made aware of her involvement just yet. Thinking of the prince and the yell made Merlin twist back and he winced at seeing Arthur being bundled out of the hall. Men were surrounding him and from what little Merlin could make out of his face, he knew their grip was bordering on painful. Surrounded and with his hands bound, there was nothing Arthur could do other than glare. But glare he did quite spectacularly and one of the men who had originally been holding Merlin shifted awkwardly.

"Run, you fool!" Arthur shouted, struggling himself against the men holding him. For a split-second, Merlin could only stare. Surely even Arthur didn't think he could take on those sorts of odds? But then the prince met his eyes fleetingly over the heads of the guards and Merlin understood. He wasn't trying to win; he was trying to buy Merlin time to run. Still needing space to work his magic and wanting Arthur to think that he was actually doing as he was told for once, Merlin tried to get to his feet.

However, he was clumsy on the best of days and having his hands tied behind his back only added to that. He barely got his feet under him when two of the guards seemed to realise what was going on. Merlin stumbled forward a step as Arthur yelled obscenities, clearly trying to get the guards to focus back on him. But Arthur was cut off when someone delivered a sharp blow to the prince and Merlin knew his time was up. He didn't get the chance to take another step before the guards had reached him, harsh hands reaching out and taking hold of his arms. Considering he was bound, Merlin didn't think they needed to be quite so biting in their grip, but he was wise enough (for once, a voice that sounded suspiciously like Arthur added in his mind) not to say anything. They whirled him around and started forcing him back towards Arthur when Cenred appeared.

Arthur stopped struggling, lifting his chin to stare the king straight in the eye as Cenred walked forward. To Merlin's discomfort, he moved towards the warlock and didn't stop until he was directly in front of him. Reaching out, Cenred grasped his chin, holding him firmly as he tilted his head first to one side and then another. Filled with rage over the fact that this was the king who would have let his village burn, Merlin managed to yank his head away and glared defiantly at the man.

"Merlin…" Arthur's voice was quiet and warning, clearly believing that his servant was about to do something stupid. Cenred, however, just chuckled as he glanced between the two restrained young men.

"This could be interesting," he murmured, more to himself than either of his prisoners. "Very interesting indeed…"

"Leave him out of this!" Arthur yelled, fighting again as he clearly heard a threat in Cenred's tone that Merlin hadn't picked up on. The warlock never saw the blow coming, but as Arthur seemed to make headway with his guards, Cenred backhanded him sharply. Merlin thought he would have fallen if it wasn't for the grip of his own guards and the gasp escaped him before he could stop himself. Arthur fell still and Cenred nodded approvingly.

"I can see you understand how this is going to work. You misbehave, Prince Arthur, I take it out on your little friend here. Congratulations, _boy_," Cenred spat, his hand fisting momentarily in Merlin's hair. "You just got promoted to whipping boy. Take them away."

His head reeling – although Merlin told himself it was from the blow rather than the sick feeling in his stomach that seemed to be telling him how much trouble they were in this time – Merlin didn't offer a protest as the guards bundled him along. He was too busy focusing on not tripping over his own feet that Merlin didn't truly take notice of their surroundings. He was aware of Arthur being forced to move just in front of him and simply hoped the prince was thinking of ways to get them out of this, for at that moment in time, Merlin felt numb.

Worry for Gwen coursed through him and he could only hope Cenred had no further interest in her now that he had his prize. Of course, Arthur wouldn't be thinking along the same lines. Not only did he love the woman and therefore worry about her more than her friend did, he would believe Morgana was with her. And having the ward of Camelot was a prize for any king, regardless of whether they also had the prince as well. Merlin knew the chances were Morgana was in on it and was probably with her sister right now even as Merlin was jolted to a halt. The men held him fast as one unlocked a cell door and then they tried to force him in.

Merlin, however, was not planning on going quietly.

He simply dug his heels in and flatly refused to move even when the men gave him a fierce shove in between his shoulder blades. Merlin stumbled, but then instantly locked his legs again. They were not going to lock him up that easily. He heard a low chuckle from behind him and knew that he was scoring good points with his master. If there was one thing that Arthur could vouch for, it was that his servant never did as he was told and was certainly not meek and obedient like other serving staff. Merlin would fight back with everything that he had and Cenred was a fool if he thought he could use the warlock as insurance against Arthur.

What he didn't quite think through, however, was that he was a man of light build and clumsy by nature. His hands were bound and he was surrounded by burly guards who had no intention of letting him make their job any harder. One simply took him by the scruff of his neck and Merlin only just prevented himself from crying out as he was forcibly thrown into the cell. He landed heavily, scraping his knees and chin as he hit the cell for but didn't let a sound escape him. He wasn't going to give them that satisfaction.

The guards followed him in, one of them seizing Merlin by the scruff on his shirt and dragging him over to a corner. Merlin didn't struggle this time, he was too preoccupied watching the others wrestling Arthur in. Although the prince didn't seem to be openly struggling (Merlin knew he would never admit to it, but it was obvious Arthur wasn't prepared to risk Cenred making good on his threat until they had more of a plan than just futile resistance), Merlin could also tell that he wasn't making it easy for them. The prince's limbs were stiff and uncoordinated and the guards were forced to work as a team to get him over into the other corner.

Merlin froze when he felt the cold steel of a blade pressed against his wrists, but then realised the guard was cutting away his bindings. He pulled them away slowly, forcing the rope to rub against the already raw marks on Merlin's wrists, but the servant didn't notice. He was too busy watching Arthur and wishing there was something he could do to help. He too was having the ropes cut away, but the men were holding him fast while another unfurled a set of manacles from the wall. It was clear Cenred knew of Arthur's reputation and knew that no amount of threatening his servant was going to make Arthur sit quietly in a cell.

Merlin's guard moved away once he was free and the warlock cursed, wishing there was something he could do as they began to lock Arthur's wrists into the cold metal. He could have used magic to free Arthur from rope, claiming to have just untied it. This was going to make things hard.

Unless…

Merlin grinned as he glanced down, making sure that he couldn't be seen. He let his eyes flash and the lock on the one wrist they had secured sprung open. Arthur didn't need telling twice and instantly lashed out, punching the man closest to him. For a split-second, Merlin thought that it had worked and was already rising to his feet in order to join the fight.

But then the men simply piled on top of Arthur. One drove his fist deep into the prince's stomach and as all the air was driven from Arthur, they wrenched his hands back up and secured them. Merlin ran forward, throwing himself on the back of one of the men but he could have just blown sand at them for all the good it did. The man reached around, grabbed his shoulder with one hand and even as Arthur yelled out a warning, Merlin found himself ripped off and slammed onto the floor. This time, rising was not on his agenda as he focused on getting the air back into his lungs. With one last kick to Arthur's midriff, the guards left, leaving a gasping servant on the floor and a firmly restrained prince in the corner.

"Great," Arthur muttered, leaning back against the wall as he began testing the cuffs. "Just great."

Merlin wasn't sure whether Arthur either wanted or would appreciate an answer, so he stayed quiet as he shakily sat back up again and felt his back. To his surprise, no skin was broken considering the force he had hit the floor with, but he knew for sure he was going to have an impressive array of bruises there before the day was out. Arthur saw his movements.

"Are you alright?" He said quietly, an unspoken concern in his tone. Merlin shrugged.

"Been better." He was aiming for the light hearted tone that he was used to sharing with Arthur, but he wasn't entirely sure he managed to get it. But neither of them mentioned the way his voice seemed to tremble. Merlin hated that he was coming across as weak when he was the most powerful warlock to walk the earth. But right now, he was helpless.

Both Morgana and Morgause were here, and he had never really considered just how strong they were, especially together. Then there was Cenred who seemed to have a sadistic side, Arthur being locked up (and Merlin wasn't entirely sure whether that was simply the best place for the prince until they had a proper plan). Especially when he then considered they had no idea where Gwen was even being held. If he could just free Arthur –regardless of the fallout over the revelation of a certain secret – and they could get out of here, then that was what Merlin would do. But he knew this was about more than just them – and there was no way he could risk someone else getting to Gwen while Arthur was busy yelling at him for being a liar.

Never before had he felt so stuck and Merlin hated it.

Although judging by the scowl on Arthur's face, the prince wasn't enjoying it either. For someone used to lording it over others and having the run of the castle, being locked up and shackled like a common criminal was a blow to his ego if nothing else. It was a constant reminder over the fact that he had lost and Merlin was sure that was precisely why Cenred had done it. He too was a king, he knew how to play this game.

Yet Merlin didn't. He didn't know precisely what Cenred had meant when he said that he had been promoted to whipping boy. As he quietly voiced that out loud, Merlin watched as a series of emotions flickered over Arthur's face. Most prominently, however, seemed to be regret.

"It's my fault he hit you."

"I know most things are your fault, but you do realise not everything is about you, right?"

"_Mer_lin," Arthur groaned and the warlock allowed himself a grin at hearing his master sounding more like his usual self. There was a slight pause, then Arthur huffed a laugh as he seemed to realise what his servant had done, and done successfully as well. But the smile didn't last long and Merlin realised that regret was back on his face. It wasn't an expression he was used to seeing on Arthur. Sadness at times, and anger a lot. But not regret.

"You were hit because I struggled. Everything I'll try, he'll take it out on you."

Merlin knew what that tone of voice meant when Arthur sounded like that. It meant that he was actually taking his role as a prince and Merlin's master seriously. He was not about to let Merlin get hurt if there was a chance he could do something to help him. Or as the case appeared to be this time, _not _do something to help him. While Merlin was touched that Arthur would consider his health above his own freedom (he knew it wasn't just vanity, Camelot needed a Crown Prince), Merlin also knew he couldn't let Arthur think like that. They needed to get out of here, and Arthur doing as he was told was not going to help matters. Merlin shrugged, letting a slight scoff escape him.

"You call that a hit? Your flying goblets that you throw when half-asleep have more power than that. That was nothing, Sire."

His voice was light, almost too light considering what they were talking about. Arthur looked at him steadily for a long moment and Merlin found that he wanted to squirm. It was a look like that which not only made Merlin feel as if Arthur could see straight through him, but it was also the look that made him truly trust what sort of king Arthur would one day be.

But for that to happen, they needed to get out of here.

It seemed that Arthur knew he was lying and trying to put on a brave front, there was a look in his eyes that indicated he knew Merlin wasn't being honest. But he managed to smile and nodded.

"Come on then. See if you can make yourself useful and get me out of these." Arthur wasn't dismissing the threat to Merlin. But he was also accepting that Merlin was prepared to take the risk and therefore any subsequent consequences if Arthur was. It seemed that the prince couldn't back down from anything, and if his servant wanted to try and escape, then there was no way he was going to sit back and just watch.

Merlin rose into a crouch and moved to beside his master, fingers reaching out to brush across the cuffs. If he could get the angle right, he would be able to use magic in order to force the hinge and then he could just pretend that it was his own strength all along. Arthur clearly thought there was a chance at forcing the lock if he had asked Merlin to try.

Hoping beyond hope that this was the chance they needed in order to get out, Merlin started feeling for weaknesses in the metal. Arthur sat quietly and the warlock realised just how out of the ordinary this was. Arthur seemed to be accepting that his best chance of getting out right now rested with his servant. The same servant, Merlin couldn't help but think, who would be the one to take the brunt of Cenred's anger if this went wrong.

But still, Camelot needed her prince and Merlin needed to once again save his destiny. He would do whatever it took in order to make sure Arthur returned to Camelot in one piece.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you so much for the fantastic support of the opening of this, it really means the world. Hope you continue to enjoy it._

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Merlin managed to free Arthur from the cuffs, not being sure if he was supposed to be offended or not by the disbelieving snort that escaped the prince when his wrist fell free. Merlin didn't say anything, not exactly being able to admit that it was only because of his flashing eyes that had allowed him to force the locks. No wonder Arthur was disbelieving – he was right in thinking that Merlin couldn't force it without assistance.

"Now what?" The servant moved back around to the front of the prince, biting his lip as he sat down. Arthur was still on the floor, massaging his wrists as he stared around. Merlin didn't say anything else as he settled himself against the wall. It was obvious Arthur was looking for something that would aid them in escaping and Merlin didn't want to interrupt him. But while Arthur was preoccupied, Merlin allowed himself to start making plans of his own. He shut his eyes so Arthur wasn't witness to the burning gold flooding his irises and reached out with his magic.

He had realised of late that he was able to sense people's life forces. It was as if life itself was connected to magic and if Merlin reached out with his gift, it was as if they revealed themselves to his probing magic. He thought if he could at least have an idea of how many people were close to them – if not in the castle itself – it would mean that he would be some help to Arthur. He knew he had to rely on the prince's planning methods. Arthur was a strategist and – while he wouldn't admit it – he would be cautious in order to protect Merlin. If anyone was going to get them out of here alive right now, it would be the prince. Merlin was already thinking through spells that would help him to aid their escape without Arthur discovering him.

All they needed was a little bit of time and they would be out of here.

Still, it wasn't much of a reassurance when his magic started finding the life sources. Initially, Merlin discovered one or two people. But what he didn't realise was that was simply because his magic was still exploring. As soon as it knew what it was doing, the glowing signal of a person sprang up everywhere and the warlock swallowed. To say they were outnumbered was an understatement. He wasn't sure that even he and Arthur combined could take on these odds, not considering Morgause was out there somewhere. Merlin didn't know who was more powerful, but he knew his worry for his friends would give her the advantage and now was not the time to discover he could lose to her.

"Now is not the time for sleeping, _Mer_lin." Arthur's foot nudged against his and Merlin's eyes opened before he had the chance to pull the magic back. Luckily, despite his soft gasp, Arthur was too busy exploring the cell to notice the gold fading from his servant's eyes. Merlin scrambled to his feet.

"You've thought of something?" He asked hopefully, watching as Arthur crouched next to the door and began to inspect the hinges on it. Merlin found himself wondering if the prince had checked the lock yet. If not, there was a chance Merlin could _encourage_ it to unlock itself just enough for Arthur to kick the door down in style and still consider himself to be the hero. But he needed Arthur further away from the door before he could even think of trying anything.

"Not exactly," Arthur admitted. Merlin could hear how he was trying to keep his voice light and relaxed, but the servant knew him better than that. Arthur was worried; more worried than he was ever going to admit to and even as he examined the hinges, he kept shooting Merlin looks over his shoulder. It was clear he didn't want the warlock to see them, but there wasn't a lot that slipped past Merlin when it came to Arthur. He knew the prince was worrying about Cenred's threats. Being cautious might aid them in staying alive, but Merlin knew he was stronger than Arthur gave him credit for. Cenred could hit him all he liked if it meant Arthur escaping. Somehow, Merlin knew that Arthur was too noble (despite his faults) to think like that.

Climbing to his feet, Merlin crossed the cell. He stood next to Arthur until he could lean against the door, letting his finger slide into the lock.

"How are you planning to get it open?" He asked conversationally, using his voice to cover up the noise of the lock clicking as magic rolled from his hand into the lock. Arthur glanced up at him and then straightened up.

"Like this." Lifting his foot, the prince yanked Merlin out of the way before bringing it slamming into the door. Merlin knew by Arthur's face that he tried it just as a way of venting his frustration rather than actually believing anything would come from it. Taken by surprise, the prince overbalanced when the door let out a groan and swung open from where Merlin had already worked the lock. The servant grinned down at the sprawled form of his master.

"Looks like that diet is doing the trick after all," he said cheerfully, but made sure he kept his voice low as he reached down to help Arthur up. Now the door was open, things would be more dangerous. The guards would see them as a threat rather than restrained prisoners. The scathing look Arthur gave him in response made Merlin laugh.

Arthur didn't say anything, however, but began to check the corridors. He grinned when he saw there were no guards, but Merlin wasn't so reassured. He had felt the presence of the guards, he knew they were close. It almost seemed too easy. It was true Cenred wouldn't have expected magic and so their escape might have been quicker than he had estimated, but still. If he had gone to that much effort to get hold of Arthur, he wouldn't risk him escaping. Neither would Morgause or Morgana, and the three of them combined made Merlin worried about why this was so easy.

"Arthur…"

"I know." It seemed that Arthur was thinking the same for his tone was cautious and quiet. Merlin saw the way his hand went to drift to his hip before Arthur caught himself and realised he was unarmed. "This way."

"But that's the way we came from. Shouldn't we got the other way?" Merlin knew he didn't have the best instincts, but heading down a corridor that was more likely than not going to take them straight back to Cenred didn't seem the most sensible course of action.

"That's what they'll expect us to do. We're more likely to have the element of surprise going this way. Now come on. Keep close and for god's sake keep quiet."

Arthur was moving before he had finished speaking and Merlin rolled his eyes as he hurried after him. He wasn't as idiotic as Arthur seemed to believe. In fact, while the prince was deciding which corridor to navigate around, Merlin was already planning how he was going to get hold of a sword. Arthur had the instincts of a warrior, he could navigate them out. But if he could get a sword in his destiny's hand, Merlin knew Arthur would have far more chance of defending himself.

Unfortunately, Merlin's planning meant he didn't truly think about what Arthur had just said to him. He wasn't paying attention to where he was going, so when Arthur froze at the end of a corridor, Merlin walked into the prince's back. Arthur turned, making to rebuke his servant, but Merlin's eyes widened as he saw the shadows on the wall moving, an indication that someone was heading their way.

Before Arthur could say a word, Merlin grabbed the front of the prince's shirt and shoved him into a small alcove. Arthur let the momentum carry him, clearly realising what Merlin was doing, but as he reached out to pull his servant in after him, Merlin darted out of his reach. He knew it was too late. Torches were suspended in brackets the whole way down the corridor. They might have been warned about the soldiers' approach by the shadows, but Merlin knew the men would know they were there through the same method.

"Merlin!" Arthur hissed, his face furious and his eyes scared as Merlin shook his head and moved back down the corridor. He could draw them away, leading them on a wild goose chase through the maze of corridors while Arthur found Gwen and got them out. Arthur looked as if he was going to say something else, but his servant had moved too far and the soldiers were close. To Merlin's relief, Arthur didn't throw away his sacrifice by revealing his presence. All that would happen then was they would both be caught and it would all be for nothing.

Merlin was almost glad that the soldiers chose that second to round the corner, for he wasn't sure how long Arthur would be able to just hide knowing his servant was in danger. He had been right in thinking the men knew that someone was there, for their swords were already drawn and their eyes were alert and eager. Merlin just about saw Arthur press himself further into the shadows, but then the warlock made sure his eyes snapped away from the prince. He couldn't afford to draw attention to Arthur.

"Oh, hello there," he called cheerfully, making sure he was continuing to back up down the corridor. The men both glanced at each other before running towards him. Merlin turned on his heel and was gone before they had taken more than a step. He might have been clumsy, but he was fast on his feet when he needed to be. Play as a child had taught him that much, and a life running around after a demanding prince had only honed those skills. Not weighed down by armour or weapons, Merlin knew that he could outrun these soldiers.

What he was more worried about, however, was the other soldiers that he knew would be littering the castle. If he could find a hiding spot, he would be able to let his magic search them out again and then find a route through them to join Arthur without being caught. But he wasn't sure he would be granted the respite in order to plan his escape, for he could still hear the soldiers coming after him, yelling orders to their friends as they did so.

At least if they were all following him in this direction, however, it would mean Arthur would have a clearer route to get out. At the end of the day, that was what mattered. Merlin knew he could work his own escape if he knew the prince was safe because he would be able to let lose his power. But while Arthur was a prisoner, there was too much at risk.

"Down here!"

Merlin skidded as he tried to change direction, realising the voice had been coming from the corridor in front of him. He slipped as his feet were a second behind the rest of his body and fell painfully against the cold floor. He was up and running again before the soldiers had even emerged from the opening of the corridor, but it had cost him precious time that he didn't have. More voices were surrounding him now and Merlin ended up coming to a stop, spinning as he tried to figure out what way he should go to avoid being caught. To his horror, he seemed to have reached some sort of crossroads in the corridors. And there were voices and footsteps coming from every direction. They had him trapped.

The warlock felt his hand lift up of its own accord as the magic rushed through his veins and prepared to come to his defence. But Merlin sighed, taking a breath as he forced it back down again. Without knowing where Arthur was, he couldn't risk it. The prince could be hurt or even killed if Merlin's powers were revealed, for then they would have lost their best weapon; surprise. It was one of the hardest things to do, but Merlin lowered his hand as the soldiers flooded into the area surrounding him and made short work of circling him. He had to know Arthur had escaped before he showed them precisely who they were dealing with.

"Run out of places to run, _boy?_" One of the soldiers spat and Merlin tried to control his anger. He would do a lot, even sacrifice himself for Arthur. But he knew goading the men to anger for no reason would do him little good. He settled for simply glaring and as the man approached, Merlin threw a punch. If he glanced at the floor so no one saw his eyes flash as strength was added to the punch, then Merlin would claim he was just trying to stay alive. The man went flying backwards with a howl, his hands clutching a bloody nose. But it was just an invitation for the rest of the men to pile in on him and Merlin could only get a couple more blows in before he had been forced to his knees with his arms twisted painfully behind him and blood dripping from a split lip.

The first soldier he had struck stalked towards him, drawing his sword as he did so. Merlin tensed, recoiling, but another guard held up his hand.

"We'll get to do that later. But right now, he's the key to making the prince talk, we need him alive."

"This is him?" The soldier sneered as he glanced down at the restrained man at his feet and Merlin lifted his chin challengingly. He didn't appreciate being used against Arthur and appreciated even less the fact even these men thought Arthur would be a fool to try and protect him. His glare was just enough to tip the man over the edge with anger, however, and Merlin felt his head snap back and his eyes water as the man let lose a punch of his own to the amusement of his friends.

"But if this is him, why is he in the middle of a corridor? Or is the king letting his prisoners just walk around now?"

The soldiers had been happy to laugh at Merlin's predicament, but the warlock could tell by their faces they hadn't truly thought about what it meant the fact that he was on the loose.

"You, check on the prince. You, run ahead and see if the king is still in the hall. You two, come with me. We're going to take our little escape artist to see his majesty."

Merlin inwardly groaned as the guards hauled him to his feet. It was almost unfair how easily they held him still while once again rebinding his hands, even despite Merlin trying to resist them. He wasn't sure if it had been enough time yet for Arthur to get out of the castle, and with them discovering they were free from the cell, the guard would be doubled and it would be far harder to do just that.

But right now, Merlin knew he had to trust Arthur could fend for himself. He had more pressing matters to deal with. Namely, the fact that he was once again being marched along a corridor towards Cenred, who Merlin had a feeling would be less than happy with how events were unfolding. But as much as Merlin feared Cenred's anger, he feared something else more. He still couldn't shake from his mind how easy it had been to get out of the cell. What if Cenred had wanted them to be able to escape as an excuse to exercise his power? Merlin was well aware who was to be the one bearing the brunt of that power and he knew that it would hurt Arthur more than he would ever admit. Cenred had made the rules clear and they had broken them. Now Cenred had an excuse to make good on his threats.

Merlin tried struggling as he was dragged along, but the men didn't feel it. Far too quickly for their prisoner's liking, they were knocking on a large set of double doors. Merlin squirmed, feeling dread pooling in his stomach as the doors swung open. The men had to shove to get him to go through them and still Merlin didn't stop struggling. Eventually, they jerked him to a stop, holding him tightly as Cenred slowly looked up from his throne. He had been sitting casually, the small dagger in his hands handled with precision as he peeled an apple. Merlin knew just how dangerous he was by the bored expression on his face.

"Well?"

"We caught this one in the hallways, Sire."

"And the prince?"

"We're searching now."

"Gone," Merlin said quietly, earning himself a cuff over the head. But he didn't care. The longer he could keep Cenred's attention on him, the longer Arthur had to escape. More than one person had told him that he didn't think before he opened his mouth and as Cenred slowly stood up from his throne, Merlin had to wonder if he had just done it again.

"Really?"

"Yes. So you may as well let me go as well because I'm no use to you now you don't have a prince to threaten." Merlin tried to sound confident, the way Arthur did. If he sounded strong enough, maybe Cenred would let him go? The king took another step towards him and Merlin swallowed.

"We'll see about that," Cenred sneered, stepping closer than Merlin was comfortable with. The guards held him steady as the dagger was placed across his throat and Merlin found himself looking into Cenred's eyes. There was nothing but pure hatred burning within and the warlock knew he was in trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

_Thank you so much for the kind reviews once again. Thanks to Warlocker as well as I can't respond directly to you - I'm definitely bearing your words in mind and trying to make it clearer._

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"What's your name, boy?"

Merlin didn't answer. He glared up at Cenred before continuing to try and lean back to avoid the dagger pressed against his neck. His guards had a secure grip on his arms though and there was nowhere to run. All he needed was the confirmation they couldn't find Arthur, and then he would be able to act. But until he knew the prince was safe, Merlin knew his secret had to remain just that; a secret. To his discomfort, however, Cenred chuckled.

"Your defiance gives me the answer I needed, _Merlin_."

Despite his heart pounding hard in his chest, Merlin tried not to let his expression reveal anything. It came as no surprise that Morgana had told Cenred everything she could about the raiding party coming to save Elyan. Even now she was no doubt enjoying spending the time with her sister while her former friends were locked up. But two could play that game. By keeping quiet, Merlin wasn't revealing he was aware of how much he knew. After all, he had a feeling Morgause wouldn't have told Cenred everything – as a king there was still a chance he could stop her. By keeping him in the dark, she had free reign.

"And you know what I found out that was very interesting?" Cenred continued, his hand coming to rest on Merlin's shoulder. The warlock instantly shook himself, trying to dislodge it but Cenred's nails gripped him tightly and the king would not be shaken off. It seemed to be a signal for the guards to tighten their own grip though so their prisoner couldn't show defiance to their king.

"You come from a little village. A village, I might add, that is in my kingdom. Ealdor falls under my borders and protection, does it not?"

Merlin felt the colour drain from his face. If Cenred knew about Ealdor, that meant he knew about his mother. And the king was right; it was under Cenred's authority - meaning the small village had no protection if the king wanted to vent his frustration on it. Uther had forbidden aid when it was just bandits attacking, there would be no way he would interfere if Cenred decided to exercise his authority over it. Especially not when he had other matters on his mind such as Arthur being missing.

"Meaning the prince you serve is not your prince at all. But I, Merlin, am your king."

"You're no king of mine," Merlin spat. He knew he would have to watch what he said, but the guards had given him some insight into what Cenred was planning. The man might threaten him all he liked, but he wouldn't kill him. Not while he believed he could use Merlin to make Arthur talk. It bought the warlock time to think of a way to get out of this, yet right now, staring into Cenred's cold eyes with the man's hand on his shoulder, his mind was blank.

"We shall see," Cenred jerked his head at the guards as he spoke and Merlin stayed perfectly still when he felt them withdraw. He was surprised they couldn't hear his heart pounding and the effort of holding back his magic was getting to be too much, especially now his home was being threatened.

But he still didn't know whether Arthur had made it or not, so the risk was too great. Until he was sure that Morgause couldn't use the revelation of his powers against the prince, Merlin knew he had to pretend he was just the helpless, clumsy servant that Arthur saw him as.

"Kneel before your king."

Merlin stared at Cenre in disbelief, his legs instantly locking. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see one of the guards making to move forward, clearly preparing to force him. Cenred held up a hand, however.

"Leave him be. Kneel, Merlin."

"Never."

"Oh? Then you condemn your village to be burned. I'm sure you have family there, and people will talk when it is their own life on the line. It won't take much effort to find someone you care about, someone you love. A mother, perhaps? Imagine the fun I could have with her…"

"Stop it!" Merlin could feel his power beginning to work at the ropes around his wrists. He couldn't hold it back any more. Direct threats against his mother were not something he was going to stand idly by and listen to.

"You do have a mother there, don't you? On your knees or I will have her brought here. My guards aren't gentle with the women they are escorting."

"Please…" Merlin knew he had gone pale. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. His magic was screaming at him to react, to blast Cenred apart. But he couldn't. Not unless he knew for sure Arthur was safe. But if he didn't, his mother was the one under threat. Arthur might have been forced to choose between Camelot and Merlin, but his servant was being forced into a choice of his own. What he didn't understand was why Cenred was wasting so much time with him when he was nothing more than a servant in the king's eyes.

"Kneel before your king and she will be left in peace."

Merlin felt his eyes slip shut in dismay. What choice did he have? It was his mother's life or his pride. He thought he had held onto his dignity over the years, despite being a servant. But now he knew that was only true because of the type of master that Arthur was. He had many faults, but he was not cruel to his servants. Telling himself it was just to save his mother, it meant nothing and Arthur was the only king he would sincerely bow to, Merlin let the tension out of his legs.

"That's it, boy. Kneel before me."

Merlin heard the main doors opening behind him and he wanted to look around. But Cenred was now directly in front of him and Merlin knew he wouldn't be allowed. His eyes found the floor and Merlin didn't dare look up. It didn't mean anything, it never would…

"On your knees." There was a warning note in Cenred's voice now and Merlin knew that he had run out of time. Hating himself for doing it but knowing that he had no choice, Merlin slowly dropped to his knees, staring at the floor and not allowing himself to look anywhere else. He heard Cenred chuckle darkly above him.

"You see, Your Highness? His loyalty is easily bought." Merlin jerked around – almost unbalancing himself considering his hands were still tied – at Cenred's mocking words and his guards parted to let him see. He had indeed heard the doors opening and he knew it had all been for nothing as a heavily guarded Arthur was forced into the room. His hands were clearly tied behind his back, but the clinking of chains made Merlin drop his gaze and discover the prince's feet had also been shackled. There was an ugly bruise on Arthur's cheek and a somewhat dazed expression on his face that revealed he had not gone down without a fight. But there was fury burning in his eyes and for a second, Merlin wasn't sure if it was directed at him for kneeling or at Cenred for putting them in the situation in the first place.

Merlin made to scramble up, but Cenred's hand landed on his shoulder and with one shove, Merlin was forced back down. As Cenred stepped away, the guards took his place and easily held the servant down.

"Arthur, it's not what it looks like!" Merlin shouted, knowing he couldn't afford to have even a flicker of doubt about where his loyalties lied in Arthur's mind. If Merlin was forced to reveal his powers, he would rather Arthur knew beforehand this wasn't some sort of elaborate trick.

"Silence him," Cenred called, striding across the hall towards Arthur. Merlin struggled, desperate to get to his feet again but the guards kept him down, one clamping his hand firmly over the warlock's mouth. To Merlin's relief, Cenred's voice carried easily across the space and he could hear everything the king was saying to Arthur.

"Your turn now."

"Never."

"On your knees, _prince_."

Arthur didn't respond and Merlin just knew that he would be looking at Cenred coolly. Unlike Merlin, Arthur had weight behind that gaze and Cenred had nothing to threaten him with.

At least, so Merlin thought.

The king nodded and Merlin didn't realise it was at his own guards before one hand drew a knife and rested it against Merlin's cheek, dangerously close to his eye. The hand over his mouth had disappeared and Merlin gasped before he could stop himself, desperately trying to lean back.

"I thought you knew how this game worked. On your knees."

"I would…" Arthur began, his voice a confident drawl that Merlin knew only too well. "But if you're threatening him to that extreme just to get me to kneel, then you'll kill him before you even try to get me to talk. You're playing all your cards now, Cenred. I could still refuse to kneel and then what? It would be game over for you, you'll have nothing else against me."

"I have the pretty one…"

"Do you? Are you sure about that?"

"You two, go and check the other two prisoners." Cenred snapped, his voice angry. Merlin allowed himself to smile. He knew Arthur wouldn't have wasted that time just trying to find a way out himself, not when their friends – Gwen, none the less – were still in danger. Two guards hurried out of the room and Merlin wasn't sure he could believe his eyes when he saw Arthur checking the positioning of the others. He didn't honestly think that he could tackle these sorts of odds, did he? With his hands bound and his legs shackled? Knowing Arthur, he thought his bindings just evened up the odds.

"I am going to make you sing, Pendragon," Cenred hissed, his voice low and menacing despite still carrying across the space. Merlin found he was biting his lip. He knew Arthur would rather die – it meant he couldn't give away Camelot's secrets, but also Merlin couldn't be hurt because of Arthur. What Merlin was worried about, however, was the prince would successfully goad Cenred into killing him where he stood, quick and simple in a flash of temper.

"Maybe. But you'll never make me kneel."

To Merlin's delight, the knife disappeared from his face at a command from Cenred and his guards hauled him to his feet, bundling him over to Arthur before unceremoniously shoving him back to the floor. Merlin fell heavily, almost crashing into Arthur's legs as he struggled to maintain his balance.

"That's where you belong," Cenred spat, but turned on his heel as he spoke. While Merlin would never admit it, he stayed where he was, using the close proximity of the prince as a safety net. Cenred and Arthur were playing some sort of game and Merlin had a feeling he was the bargaining chip. In his mind, the closer he was to Arthur, the further he was from harm. He would just never admit it out loud.

The two guards slipped back into the hall, their faces pale as they shook their heads mutely. Cenred threw a goblet across the room in anger.

"Lock them up!" The king yelled as he strode from the room at the far end. Merlin groaned as once again he was lifted back to his feet. Guards pulled him back from Arthur so they could surround the prince and Merlin had to wonder just how much damage the prince had done before they had been able to get close enough to shackle him. With swords drawn, they began forcing Arthur from the room. Merlin's own two guards had to almost hurry to catch up with their prisoner as Merlin hurried after Arthur. He had no intention of letting the prince out of his sight again, not until he knew it would be worth it.

They were taken back to the cells, although not the same one as before. Merlin knew in one glance he wouldn't be able to make Arthur believe the door would be simply kicked down. It was far stronger than the last and Merlin only just muffled a cry when he realised there was no window either. It was only just going to be light enough to see and when night fell, he had a feeling they would be in utter darkness.

His guards held him still while the main group set about shackling Arthur, once again manacling his wrists to the wall above his head and leaving the restraints on his ankles. Once the prince was secure, the majority of the group left. Merlin thought they would just untie him again and felt himself relax when the ropes were cut away. But then, to his horror, he was jerked back against the wall and the guards forced his hands above his own head.

"No," Merlin struggled, trying to pull free of their grip but to no avail. It didn't matter how much he tried to squirm, they got the cold manacles locked around his own wrists and left him restrained the same way as Arthur. Merlin tried pulling against them, but he knew it would do no good. If Arthur hadn't managed to beforehand, then there was no way Merlin would be able to now. He thought the guards would leave once they had him secured and found that he was swallowing hard when one drew his knife with painstaking slowness.

"You gave us the run around there, boy," he muttered darkly. Merlin would have had a cheeky retort ready if his eyes weren't locked on the blade heading towards him.

"Don't even think about it," Arthur warned, his voice full of authority and command. The man stopped, glancing over his shoulder.

"You don't give me orders, princeling."

"Perhaps not. But imagine how your king would feel if you had started on his prisoner without him? And for no beneficial gain other than your own amusement. Merlin is part of Cenred's plan and you will not touch him."

Fear of Cenred seemed to be greater than the man's desire for revenge and the guard shoved the knife back through his belt and beckoned for the others to follow him out. The door slammed and there was the unmistakeable sound of a heavy bolt being driven home. Merlin let out a long and shaky breath, leaning his head back against the wall and realising for the first time that he was trembling. He wasn't sure whether it was adrenaline, fear or a mixture of both.

"Are you alright?" Arthur asked quietly, watching his servant across the cell. Merlin forced his racing heart to calm and gave his master a grin.

"Don't think much of the hospitality," he muttered, trying to make light of the situation. The look Arthur gave him made him realise he had missed the mark by a long way.

"Merlin, I know you…" Arthur began quietly and Merlin found himself frowning. He thought he knew Arthur as well, far better than the man believed. But for almost the first time ever, he had no idea what the man was going to say next. Arthur met his eyes and then looked away, almost as if he was embarrassed. Merlin had to fight to keep the fond smile of his face. Arthur hated anything that revealed he had the same feelings and emotions as everyone else, despite being royalty.

"And I know how damn stubborn you are. You wouldn't have knelt to him, you don't even bow to me. What did he do?"

"Nothing."

"_Mer_lin."

Merlin looked up, meeting Arthur's gaze across the cell. To his horror, a few treacherous tears slipped from his eyes to roll down his cheeks. With his hands chained above his head, he couldn't move to wipe them away and he was mentally kicking himself for being so weak in front of Arthur.

"He knows I'm from Ealdor," Merlin muttered, watching Arthur's eyes widen as he clearly realised the type of conversation his servant had had with Cenred. Merlin grimaced. "Apparently he's my king and if I didn't kneel, he'd… my mother, Arthur."

"It's going to be alright, we're going to get out of here," Arthur murmured, his voice calm yet his eyes smouldering with a fury that Merlin had never seen before.

"And then what? What's to stop him from going after her once we have escaped?"

"Me."

"Ealdor isn't under Camelot's protection."

"That didn't stop me before," Arthur said quietly, such determination in his voice that Merlin found himself swallowing the hysteria threatening to burst forth from him as he stared at the prince.

"I promise you I will not allow him to harm your mother. You have my word."

"I…" Merlin didn't know what to say, but Arthur wasn't finished yet.

"But I'm going to need you to bide your time and shelve your pride. Give him what he wants for now, for I can't protect her while I'm locked up. Kneel if he asks you too, we both know it doesn't mean anything."

"Thank you," Merlin whispered sincerely, meaning those two words more than he had ever done in his life. "Did you really free Gwen?"

Arthur grinned, leaning back on the wall and looking as if he was trying to make himself comfortable.

"Took a leaf out of your book for once. Distracted the guard, got Guinevere and Elyan out and then gave the others the run around. They should be riding for Camelot as we speak. My father will soon know about this and the knights will be on their way. Cenred is a fool if he thinks he can take on Camelot on his own."

Arthur sounded so confident, so full of hope that everything was going to work out that Merlin found himself biting his lip. How was he supposed to tell the prince that Cenred wasn't working alone?


	4. Chapter 4

_Thank you so much once again!_

* * *

How he managed it, Merlin had no idea. But despite being cold, uncomfortable and (although he would never tell Arthur this) slightly scared, the warlock managed to drop off to sleep. It wasn't exactly a sleep as such, more of a doze as his mind tried to process how they were going to get out of this. He was almost certain he was going to have to reveal his powers – no other alternatives were making themselves known to him. With Morgause and Morgana aiding Cenred though, he knew it wasn't as straight forward as just blasting the locks and getting them out of here.

The power of the two witches combined, not to mention with all the men Cenred had at his disposal meant Merlin knew he had to be secretive. They had defeated him once before, and this time the cost was much higher. He knew if he was stopped, there would be no one to protect Arthur. If, of course, the prince hadn't already accused him of working with Cenred and killed him himself for betraying him. And even if things went according to plan and they got out… all it would take was a whisper in the king's ear from Morgana and Merlin knew his head would be rolling before Arthur had the chance to defend him.

If he knew it would save Arthur indefinitely, then Merlin would have no qualms about showing Cenred what happened when people threatened his mother. But there were too many issues at stake, all he could hope to do was bide his time and allow Arthur to believe fate and luck had not deserted them by opening a few locks here and there.

With all that running around his head, it was hardly rest Merlin had managed to find. His head was pounding when he opened his eyes and for a split second, he felt a surge of annoyance towards whatever the repetitive sound was that had drawn him from his slumber. He didn't have to look very far to find it.

Arthur was steadily kicking at a stone in the wall. Whether it had been lose before or whether the prince was so desperate to get out he had managed to wriggle it free, Merlin didn't know. Judging by the look of frustration on Arthur's face, however, he wouldn't have been surprised if it was the latter.

"What are you doing?" Merlin asked quietly, drawing attention to the fact that he was awake. Arthur shot him a look before carrying on what he was doing.

"Getting us out of here."

"You're still chained."

"Yes, thank you for that, _Mer_lin, glad to see your powers of observation are still as good as ever." Merlin didn't answer. He knew Arthur. Knew how the man liked to hide behind sarcasm and aggression when he was feeling emotional and out of his depth. Just as Merlin wouldn't admit to being scared, he knew Arthur was feeling the same. Cenred knew how to play this game; Arthur was trained to deal with an interrogation. He wasn't trained in watching a friend be tortured just to make him talk.

"Arthur?"

"What?"

"We're going to be okay." Merlin was trying to tell his master without words that he was tougher than the prince thought. He was sure there would be a spell or something that would allow him to block pain. So saying, he couldn't think of anything off the top of his head right now, but Merlin wasn't going to let that stop him. He had a destiny to make Arthur the greatest king Camelot had ever seen. If the prince gave away any secrets, that destiny was in jeopardy. They would be lucky to have a Camelot still standing, that was how much Arthur knew about the defences of his castle. Merlin was sure that Cenred wasn't questioning him because Arthur was prince, but because he was Camelot's first knight and leader of her army.

"Shut up, Merlin," Arthur muttered, but Merlin saw the way his face softened. He might not believe the words, but he was clearly grateful that his servant was at least trying to hold onto the hope that everything was going to be alright.

"So how are you planning to crawl through a hole you haven't yet created if your hands are still tied above your head?" Merlin asked, making sure to keep his voice light but being genuinely curious. He wondered if Arthur had some plan forming that would allow them to make a miraculous escape. However, all it took was one glance at Arthur's face to know he had no idea what he was doing.

"It's just keeping our options open," Arthur muttered, lashing out again. It was then that Merlin knew it was frustration and anger rather than strategy that was behind Arthur's actions.

"You might want to save some of that anger for Cenred," Merlin said quietly, causing Arthur to glance at him. The prince sighed, drawing his foot back in and leaning his head against the wall with a defeated slump to his posture.

"My father will be on his way. He'll never get away with this."

"Exactly." Merlin knew what neither of them were saying, however. Cenred would have discovered Gwen and Elyan had gone and would know they were returning to Camelot. He might send riders out after them or he might just escalate his plans before making his escape. Cenred might have been a brute, but he was also a king. He would know what steps Uther would take to ensure his heir's safety and knew that gave him time to play with.

Silence fell between the two prisoners and Merlin found his attention was locked on the cuffs restraining Arthur. He might have told him to stop lashing out, but now a new idea was forming. If he could get Arthur to struggle against the restraints, he might be able to unlock them without the prince noticing. Merlin knew if Arthur was unshackled, no guard would stand a chance against him considering the fury in Arthur's eyes.

"How did Cenred know we were in the tunnels?" Merlin hated the silence. Arthur had often moaned at him – usually on hunts – for breaking it. But this time, it was almost stifling sitting here just thinking about all the things that could go wrong and result in him failing his destiny. Judging by the look on Arthur's face, he had been thinking along the same lines and was grateful for the interruption.

"The guards clearly heard Guinevere's scream."

"But why would they be guarding the tunnels in the first place?" Merlin was sure he knew. Morgana had given some sort of signal about how they would approach. This whole situation felt more and more like a set-up. Not only them being caught, but Gwen's initial abduction and the fact that Cenred had Elyan in the first place. How long had this been planned for? But he wanted Arthur to start doubting the guards' ability and start thinking about the information coming from within. Unfortunately, Merlin knew how the prince thought of Morgana. There was no way his mind would instantly spring to her.

"Because it was a weak defence point so any garrison would make sure any potential attack points could be defended."

"Very good, little prince."

The voice came from beyond the door and Merlin knew he wasn't the only one who jumped, although Arthur managed to cover it up far better than his servant, opting for simply glaring as Cenred's face appeared through the slot in their door. There came the sound of keys jingling and before Merlin could think of anything to say, let alone a spell that would help, the door had opened and the enemy king had entered, his guards flanking him.

"How about we see how clever you are about other things as well?" Cenred continued, nodding to his guards. They immediately converged on Arthur yet the prince didn't seem to be struggling as one of them took hold of the chain binding his hands and simply pulled. It was only then did Merlin realise that hadn't been where it joint the wall, it was just where it was secured. The chain ran much further than that and Arthur let out a soft grunt as he was hauled to his feet, the chain binding his wrists now to the ceiling and his toes only just scraping the ground. He certainly didn't have movement to be able to let his feet take his weight and after only a few seconds of scrabbling to try and stand properly, Arthur fell still. He clearly wasn't going to get Cenred the satisfaction of struggling against something he couldn't beat. Once his prisoner was secured, Cenred moved across the cell towards Arthur.

"Leave him alone!" Merlin yelled, forgetting about magic as he wrenched against his own chains. Arthur was vulnerable like that, he had no leverage to fight back. Merlin knew that was the point, and he hated it.

"I wouldn't be so quick to remind me of your existence, boy," Cenred sneered, nodding again to his guards. Merlin struggled and yelled, but he couldn't stop them any more than Arthur could and it only took seconds before he was suspended in a similar manner. He managed to grit his teeth in time to stop the gasp escaping him when his wrists took his weight.

"Leave him out of this, Cenred."

"You two are so predictable," Cenred laughed, coming to stand in the middle of the room so he could look at them both at the same time. Merlin was breathing heavily, glaring at the man. This was no longer just about Arthur. This man had threatened his mother. He was going to pay. To Merlin's discomfort, the man was watching him closely.

"And because of that predictability, I know this is going to work. You are going to tell me everything, Arthur Pendragon."

"Go to hell."

"Every time you refuse me, your friend here will be made to suffer my wrath. But I'm not a cruel man. You have a way out, Merlin."

Merlin continued to glare. He knew he would not only not like this way out, but that he would never take it.

"Your prince is about to get you hurt, if not killed. What kind of reward is that for all of your hard work by his side for the last few years? Well, you can repay him for that. I'm going to make you scream until he talks. But that doesn't have to be the case. Pledge your loyalty to me and you will be able to avoid all of that. You are my subject, after all."

"Arthur is my king," Merlin muttered. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Arthur stiffen in surprise. Merlin knew his words were almost treason against Uther, but now was not the time to worry about it. Nothing would ever make him pledge his loyalty to a man like Cenred.

"We shall see. He'll soon be telling me everything I need to know. And after that, I'm not sure you will have a _king_ left to serve. Consider my offer, boy. You are only making this harder for yourself."

Cenred backed away from the centre of the room. To Merlin's discomfort, one of the guard's appeared with a chair that he settled at the edge of the room. Cenred sat down, altering its position so he could watch everything that was happening in the room. Merlin knew the time for talking was over… unless it was Arthur doing the talking. Glancing at the prince, he saw Arthur watching him closely. Merlin knew what he wanted and he subtly shook his head. If Arthur gave in just because of what Cenred was doing to Merlin, the servant didn't think he would ever forgive him. Arthur was the one always saying Camelot was more important than one man. It was time to see if he could stand by that when he wasn't the man in question.

When Arthur dropped his eyes, Merlin was stunned. He knew that was Arthur accepting his wishes. Although he was pleased he wouldn't be the cause of Camelot's downfall (at least, not straight away), Merlin couldn't stop the nerves from shooting through his body. He knew what he was letting himself in for and wouldn't change it for the world if it meant keeping Camelot and his mother safe. But that didn't mean he wasn't slightly apprehensive about what he was letting himself in for.

"Dakor," Cenred called, watching Arthur's face closely as a giant hulk of a man came into the room. He flexed his fingers, cracking his knuckles as he bowed before his king. As the man's head dipped, Merlin saw the whip draped across his shoulder and felt his eyes go wild. Not knowing what else to do, he looked back at Arthur only to find the prince watching his reaction. Cenred might have been trying to find Arthur's fear, yet the prince was clearly trying to calm Merlin's. Locking eyes with his prince, Merlin swallowed his fear and dipped his head a little. He was ready for this.

"You know how this will go, Pendragon. You can save your friend the pain, take it upon yourself if you give me what I want."

"And you'll let Merlin go?"

"Arthur, no!"

"Perhaps. I certainly won't hurt him."

Merlin stared at Arthur, unable to believe what he was hearing. But when Arthur turned to him with a small smile of apology, he knew he was simply playing Cenred rather than contemplating any offer.

"You see, that is the issue. He doesn't shut up at the best of times. Imagine that was constantly him moaning at me for giving in? Now that is torture and I just can't handle that. So looks like I'll be telling you nothing."

Cenred's eyes flashed with anger.

"Very well. Remember you brought this upon yourself, boy." His voice was dripping with scorn but Arthur simply lifted his chin.

"How many men does your father command?" Merlin found that his attention was locked on Arthur as much as Cenred at the first question. The prince simply lifted his head, his face carefully blank as he uttered not a word.

"How many?" Arthur didn't even look at Cenred.

"He's all yours, Dakor," the king instructed and Merlin swallowed as the large man approached him.

"How many?" Even with having Dakor standing over him, Merlin could see that Arthur was still not prepared to give Cenred anything. Merlin was so busy watching the carefully schooled expression on Arthur's face that he didn't notice Dakor drawing back his fist until it had sunk deep into his stomach. Merlin felt his legs curl up slightly as he gasped, the pain driving all the breath from his body. Out of the corner of his eye, he was sure that Arthur shifted a little. Merlin allowed himself to breathe through his nose, clenching his jaw so he didn't make a sound. He could do this. Camelot was already dictating his life, he would be prepared to die for Arthur.

"How many weapons does your armoury contain?"

Silence.

Merlin forced his body to react as Dakor punched him again from a different angle. He could feel his toes curling with the pain, but as soon as the man backed off, he breathed deeply and forced the tension out. He knew this was just the beginning.

"How many commanders?"

"Is there a point to this?" Arthur rolled his eyes as he glared at Cenred. "I know you'll have spies, possibly even someone at court. This is the sort of information that your scouts could find out. What are you trying to achieve?"

Cenred had left his seat before Arthur had finished talking, closing the distance between them and grabbing Arthur's jaw in his hand, squeezing painfully.

"The point, little prince? Pain. Yes, maybe I know the answers. But I want you to see that boy in agony and know it is your fault. He's trying to be so brave, but he'll be screaming before I ask an important question. You are going to tell me absolutely everything I need to know because by the time I ask those questions, you'll both be begging me to stop. You can handle torture and pain, I'm sure. But can you handle your friend pleading with you to tell me something so that I don't have to hurt him anymore?"

"Don't listen to him, Arthur! I'm fine. I'm…oomph." Merlin was sure fine was the right word as Dakor punched him in the back, forcing the grunt from the servant before he could stop it. His words seemed to stiffen Arthur's resolve for his head lifted once again and he stared Cenred straight in the eye, one eyebrow raised as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"You heard him. He's fine." There was nothing but cold contempt in Arthur's voice. Despite their bickering over the years, Merlin knew he had never truly been on the receiving end of Arthur's hate. If this was what it sounded like, he was more than glad about that fact. Arthur sounded as if nothing could touch him and his face seemed to mirror that. Merlin knew his eyes would be giving away how he was really feeling though. Cenred let go of Arthur's face and backhanded him sharply, breathing heavily as he sat back down again.

"You will not goad me into letting you have the easy way out," the king muttered, just loud enough for his prisoners to hear. Arthur slowly rolled his head back and Merlin watched him closely. He could see the anger in Arthur's body and realised Cenred might have a point. If Arthur was like this now, then what on earth was he going to be like in a few questions time?

"Either make him scream or gag the brat, Dakor. Now, Pendragon, let us continue…"


	5. Chapter 5

_Thank you so much once again for the wonderful support!_

* * *

"-lin? Merlin!" The feeling of a hand tapping frantically against his cheek made Merlin open his eyes and he stared up at the swimming face of Arthur above him.

"Huh?" It was the only thing that Merlin was capable of saying. He shifted, hissing in pain as a hand rose to clutch his midriff, but it was enough to tell him what he wanted to know. He was lying down, his head practically on Arthur's leg and the prince's jacket draped over him. But the last thing that Merlin could remember, he had been strung up. So had Arthur. Cenred had been here and that brute of a man had been circling him like a wolf about to devour his prey.

So how was he now lying on the floor with Arthur crouched over him?

"You didn't-?" Merlin tried to move again as panic flooded him. Luckily, Arthur knew what he was trying to say and was quick to press a hand to his servant's shoulder, holding him down.

"No, I didn't tell them anything. Cenred decided it wouldn't any fun once you had fainted like a girl, got his guards to unchain me and left. I don't know how long for though."

"I fainted?" Merlin asked. Arthur nodded, but Merlin could see the truth. He hadn't just passed out in a swoon. He had blacked out… and now Merlin could remember the agony of the last blow he had been conscious for; Dakor's fist colliding with his kidneys. He shifted again.

"Will you please stop trying to move? You've got at least a fractured rib," Arthur snapped, pressing him back down again. Merlin tried to fight the hold for a moment and then realised that Arthur was right and fell back with a gasp, his hand resting over his chest.

"I think they all are," he moaned, thinking back to everything he had learnt about ribs from Gaius over the years. There was nothing they could really do so Merlin just focused on keeping his breathing shallow but steady so he didn't put too much pressure on them. Instead, he found himself thinking over what Arthur had just said.

"What do you mean, he unchained you? How did I get here?"

"He knows how to play this game, Merlin." At that moment in time, Merlin wasn't sure he had ever seen Arthur looking as grave as he did right then.

"What happened?"

Arthur shook his head, his eyes gazing off to the far side of the cell where Merlin had been previously chained. Merlin suddenly realised that Arthur must have got him down. He would have had to somehow support his unconscious friend while trying to undo the manacles and ease Merlin down to the floor. The expression on Arthur's face revealed how much that had hurt him and Merlin felt he was beginning to truly understand precisely how this game was played. No one could truly be trained against mental torture, and Cenred seemed to be an expert in it.

"Arthur? We're going to get out of this," Merlin said softly, forcing himself to try and sit up again. He could see by the look on the prince's face that Arthur was less than happy about his movement, but Merlin didn't care. Every second he stayed lying down, he was showing that he was hurt and weak – and one thing the warlock refused to be was Arthur's weakness. He would show that Arthur was not the only one who knew how to handle pain and that Cenred was going to have to try harder if he wanted to cause Merlin to properly scream and be the reason that Arthur broke.

Considering the prince didn't actually try to stop him, Merlin knew that Arthur understood why he was sitting up.

"Course we are."

"Do you have a plan?" There had been confidence in Arthur's voice when he spoke and Merlin felt a spark of hope ignite in his chest. One look at Arthur's face, however, and it was firmly extinguished again. The prince had no idea about how they were going to get out of this, he was just convinced they would.

"I could tell him something…" Arthur began slowly, causing Merlin to move quicker than his ribs were happy with. A sharp hiss of pain escaped him before he could hold it back, but he waved off Arthur's hand on his shoulder, trying to keep him still.

"Don't you dare!"

"We can't run if you can't even walk," Arthur argued, the set of his jaw indicating he was actually thinking about this seriously. While Merlin knew he should be touched that Arthur would be prepared to give up information, he knew the prince would only regret it if their escape did work.

"Nothing important, obviously, you aren't worth that…"

"I'm not worth any of it, Arthur," Merlin said softly, seeing straight through Arthur's attempts to make light of the situation. "You can't tell him anything. If the chance comes, you have to get out of here."

"If you think…"

"You have to leave me, Arthur. What's he going to do, hit me?" Merlin attempted to grin, but he knew it came out as more of a grimace. He knew by the look on Arthur's face they were both aware that if Arthur ran, Merlin wouldn't be left alive for the prince to come back and rescue. But after everything that he had worked towards, there was no way Merlin was going to let himself be the reason that Arthur didn't make it to be the king he was destined to be.

"Arthur…"

"Just shut up, Merlin. I'm not leaving you here." Merlin heard the order in Arthur's voice coupled with the stress of the situation and snapped his mouth shut. The prince was feeling out of his depth and had no idea what he was supposed to do about the situation they were in. Merlin would have felt touched that Arthur was thinking about his well-being if he didn't want to hit the prince for being so damn noble the whole time.

The pair of them sat in silence. Merlin could tell by the look on Arthur's face that he was desperately trying to think of a way to get them out of this. Merlin would have helped if he hadn't been so busy trying to find a way to breathe easier without it hurting his ribs. He knew from Gaius there was very little he could do, but while Arthur was facing the other way, he let a trickle of magic escape him. He knew he couldn't use too much – it would drain on his strength considering he was weakened. He felt like he was stuck. If he used too much magic to try and heal himself – despite not even being sure if he knew how – he would drain any energy he was holding onto and he knew his power would be restricted when they were given a chance to get out. But if the chance arose, he wasn't entirely sure he would be able to physically move fast enough to get out. He knew that even if he begged Arthur to leave him, the prince wouldn't do so.

But far too soon for Merlin's liking, there came the heavy tread of footsteps coming down the corridor towards their cell. It was a heavy and solid door, there was no way they could see through in order to tell if it was Cenred returning or just one of his guards. Arthur didn't seem to be taking any chances. He took hold of Merlin's arm and pushed the servant towards the back of the cell, ignoring the pained gasp that Merlin released at the same time. It was the set of Arthur's jaw that showed he had heard it, was sorry for it, but that he wouldn't have done anything differently. The prince then took up position in front of Merlin.

"Arthur, don't…" Merlin tried to protest weakly, knowing his master was just going to get himself hurt if he wasn't careful. It was bad enough that Merlin's movement was restricted, the last thing he needed was for Arthur to not be able to move properly either.

Arthur either didn't hear him or decided to ignore him. Merlin had a feeling it was the latter. But still, he found himself watching with baited breath as the footsteps stopped outside of their door. No matter who it was, it was clear they were the intended destination.

"Whatever you do, don't say anything," Arthur said tersely, tension making him tremble in anticipation. Merlin could see in the way his shoulders were squared and his hands were balled into fists that Arthur had no intention of being strung up again without a fight. Merlin didn't respond. How could he? He couldn't ask Arthur to put aside his pride for once; he knew how the prince would take that. Not to mention that right now, pride was about the one thing that Arthur had left.

The scrapping of a key in the lock made Merlin force himself into a more upright position. He knew that this wasn't just about Arthur protecting him right now, it was the prince trying to make a point. But Merlin wasn't going to let himself be seen as weak, not if he could help it.

Unfortunately, just because they might wish to maintain a strong position, they were outnumbered and Cenred meant business. Merlin only caught a glimpse of the man before he knew that Arthur's defiance would get them nowhere. Guards crowded into the cell before their king upon seeing that the prisoner was not going to go down without a fight. To Merlin's horror, Dakor was with them and headed straight towards Merlin. The warlock tried to move backwards, tried to do anything that would mean he could use magic to defend himself, but it was as if his mind had frozen. The movement caused a wave of pain to shoot through his torso and by the time he had caught his breath, his tormentor was standing over him. Dakor gripped the front of his shirt and yanked him to his feet. Merlin struggled, refusing to move just because the man willed it, but it was like fighting against a brick wall. Merlin prepared to use magic, but then found that he was distracted by Arthur.

The prince was putting up a hell of a fight, taking down guards despite the fact that he was unarmed. They were clearly under instructions that Cenred wanted him in one piece for none of them were drawing their weapons. It was almost as if they were toying with Arthur, but when the second guard hit the ground, unconscious, the rest piled on top of him.

Merlin yelled out, but it was too late. Dakor had used his distraction to pull him over to the chains and even as Merlin struggled to get to Arthur's side, he felt his feet leave the floor as Dakor tightened the chains more than before. The pull on his chest distracted him as he focused on breathing and by the time he had managed to blink the black spots out of his vision, the men had restrained Arthur.

Hauling him to his feet, the guards had Arthur's arms pinned to his side, almost doubling the man over from where they were holding him so tightly. Cenred clearly thought Arthur was no longer a threat for he walked calmly into the room and approached the prince. Merlin yelled out as the king casually kneed Arthur in the stomach before nodding to his guards. They proceeded to shackle him while he was still gasping for breath, but Merlin found that he was more worried about the fact that Cenred was now approaching him. He swallowed and tried to raise his chin even from where he was swinging from the chains. He might have been injured and chained down, but he was not going to let that cower him.

"Leave him alone," Arthur growled, but both Cenred and Merlin ignored him. The latter found that his attention was locked on the approaching king as he tried to stop the fear from flickering in his eyes. It wasn't what Cenred would do to him – or even Arthur – that had him worried. It was how far the man would go with his threats against his mother. Merlin knew that he was powerful, but that didn't mean he had enough power to protect everyone he cared about. Chained how he was, he couldn't keep his mother safe. He wasn't even sure if he could keep Arthur safe.

"Have you changed your mind yet?" Cenred asked, his voice soft and threatening. Merlin lifted his head. If Cenred was still trying to get him to change his mind, then it meant that he wouldn't have carried out any of his threats yet.

"Why is it so important to you?" Merlin replied, completely ignoring Arthur's order – and subsequent glare – for him to stay quiet. He knew that Morgause knew about his role in Morgana's poisoning, his encounter with her in the woods had proven that much. No doubt both witches would have told Cenred enough that the king knew Merlin wasn't to be allowed to leave any more than Arthur. Morgana wouldn't stop until she had taken revenge on him as well as attacked Camelot. To his discomfort, Cenred smirked.

"It's nothing to do with you really, boy. I just want to show your prince there that he isn't worth following. I've heard about you, I've heard how loyal you are. If I can get you on my side, imagine what it would do to him." Cenred's voice was quiet enough that Arthur wouldn't be able to hear what was being said and Merlin could tell by how hard the prince was struggling quite how much that was infuriating his friend. Arthur hated for any situation to be out of his control, and this one had been since they arrived here.

Merlin, however, raised his chin defiantly.

"How is revealing your plan supposed to make me change my mind? How about we show Arthur how I would rather serve a prat like him than someone like you? You'll never get me to change my mind." Merlin's own voice was quiet and he knew he wasn't speaking as a servant. He was speaking as a warlock, protector to the Once and Future King and the most powerful warlock to walk the earth. He had had quite enough of being threatened and something flickered in Cendred's eyes. It was almost as if whatever he had heard about Merlin's friendship with Arthur hadn't quite done justice to what they would be prepared to do for one another. Merlin would rather die than have Arthur believe that he wasn't fit to be king and he knew the look on his face was telling Cenred precisely that.

"Dakor," the king called softly, gesturing to the man. Merlin swallowed but didn't look around. The brute of a man came to a stop in front of him, leering unpleasantly as he uncoiled the whip that had been draped over his shoulder and cracked it through the air menacingly a few times. Arthur went silent on the other side of the cell, clearly trying to work out what he could do to interfere without making things worse for his servant. Merlin, however, didn't flinch.

"You can whip me within an inch of my life," he said loudly, making sure his voice carried. He wanted Arthur to know what this was about; wanted the prince to understand that Merlin had brought this upon himself rather than Arthur believing it was something he had done. "But I am never going to swear loyalty to you."

It was one thing kneeling and shelving his pride if that kept Arthur safe. But there was no way Merlin was going to even pretend to switch sides, regardless of what happened to him in the process.

"Oh but Merlin," Cenred sneered, a look on his face that made Merlin's stomach turn. "It's not you who is going to be whipped."

Merlin felt his heart stop as Dakor grinned and took a few steps towards Arthur. The prince saw him coming, but the guards instantly tightened his chains, spinning the man and slamming him against the wall. Within seconds, they had secured the chain and had Arthur securely fastened. Arthur pulled fruitlessly, but Merlin could tell that there would be no escape.

"No," he whispered, his voice barely escaping him.

"Yes. I could see by the look in the prince's eyes that he was getting close to wanting to tell me something before you so rudely passed out earlier. But if he can get close to cracking – and he is used to men laying down their lives for him – in just a measly beating, imagine what I can get you to do."

"No," Merlin repeated, shaking his head. He could only watch as Dakor walked across the cell, rough hands forcing Arthur's shirt over his head so Merlin could see his back. Or, more importantly, see the damage that was about to be inflicted on it.

"It's alright, Merlin," Arthur called, his voice remarkably steady. "Do whatever you need to do."

"Gag him," Cenred ordered. "Much as I would love to hear him screaming, can't have him getting any ideas now, can we?"

Dakor chuckled darkly, ripping a piece of Arthur's shirt and tying it around the man's mouth.

"Now, Merlin… How about you rethink where your loyalties lie?" Cenred responded smoothly, sounding like he was enjoying this far too much. Merlin felt sick as he watched Dakor raise the whip. This wasn't just about Arthur – he refused to be pushed around just because he was supposedly a servant.

But as the whip fell with a crack across his master's back, Merlin had no idea what he was supposed to do. Instead, he thought about what Arthur would do and stubbornly clenched his mouth shut.


	6. Chapter 6

_Thank you so much, once again._

* * *

The only thing that stopped Merlin screaming at them to stop it and leave Arthur alone was the fact that he knew Arthur could withstand pain. He couldn't allow either of them to be seen as weak; he knew it wouldn't help in the long run. But that didn't mean he would allow his friend and master be whipped just because Merlin didn't want to say a few words that he didn't mean.

Still, Merlin couldn't do it.

It was like the words physically lodged themselves in his throat. He couldn't pretend to be loyal to Cenred, even if it stopped Arthur being hurt. It wasn't stubbornness this time, it was something more. It was as if his magic was trying to tell him something and considering this seemed to be the first time it had been active since they had been in this cell, Merlin listened.

Without knowing why, he found himself glancing towards the door. Instantly, he knew why. Morgause was standing there. The angle meant that even if Arthur could crane his head around, he wouldn't see the witch. But she was watching, a smirk on her face as Merlin caught her eye. As he watched, he was sure gold was already swirling in her gaze and just like that, he knew what Cenred wanted.

"Never," Merlin spat, glaring at the king. He would not be tricked like some fool everyone believed him to be. It wouldn't matter if he meant the words or not. There were spells – dark magic that Gaius had refused to even talk about. But Merlin was certain that if he even pretended to say the words, Morgause would somehow bind that oath to him until he had no choice but to enact it. He couldn't say that he was loyal – for that would give him no choice but to be.

And there was no way that Merlin was going to betray Arthur like that.

However, he found his attention was drawn away from the fury beginning to cloud Cenred's features by a soft grunt coming from the other side of the cell. Merlin wasn't sure if it came from Dakor and the exertion that he was putting himself through whipping Arthur, or whether it had escaped from the prince. But Merlin did know the cry came from him when he saw the vivid red lines crossing Arthur's back. The skin had broken in a few places, beads of blood slowly growing until bursting into streams and trickling down Arthur's back.

"Stop," Merlin whispered, eyes transfixed by the horrifying sight. He had done this to Arthur. He tried to struggle against the chains, but all that happened was his ribs protested against the movement and Merlin found himself gasping for breath again. To his shame, tears pooled in his eyes as he tried to keep his breathing steady and he found his head hanging. It stopped him from having to look at Cenred's smirking face, but also allowed him to glance away from Arthur's back.

But as he stared at the floor, Merlin knew this was his chance. Making sure his posture didn't change and so indicate he was far from breaking, he kept his head down as his eyes softly began to burn. He couldn't let them know he had magic, not with Morgause around. He knew it wouldn't end well. That didn't mean, however, he couldn't use it to help. Hating himself for delaying for so long, Merlin waited until he was sure that Dakor was bringing the whip back.

Merlin let the magic escape from him in a wave, pushing it towards one of their tormentors. Dakor had been trying as hard as he could with the whipping, clearly venting whatever anger he had against Arthur. But as he brought it back again, he found his weapon no longer listened to him. Rather than following the curve of his wrist, the whip instead flopped over Dakor's shoulder, striking his own back albeit it weakly. As Dakor tried to jerk it forward, he found his whole body toppling as the belt entwined with his belt and almost sent him crashing head first into the wall.

"What are you doing, you fool?" Cenred sighed, clearly believing he could do the job better himself. He made to walk forward, but Merlin released more magic. As Cenred stepped forward, his ankle gave way beneath him. It was an innocent twist, there was no way he could blame it on magic. But it was enough to send him also pitching forward and, to Merlin's delight, the king ended up on his knees as his foot refused to support his weight. His cry of pain brought more guards to the cell, but as Merlin glanced towards the door again, he saw that Morgause had disappeared. No doubt she wanted to tell Morgana about Arthur's whipping.

"My Lord!"

"Back away, fool," Cenred hissed, rising to his feet again. His face was flushed and the guards hovered uncertainly, clearly sensing that their king was embarrassed. Merlin finally lifted his head as he let the magic fade, smirking himself as Cenred shot him a filthy look and limped out of the cell. Dakor – still struggling with the whip – followed him and the guards piled out. The slamming and obvious locking of the door made Merlin flinch, but it had been worth it. While he had by no means planned what he had been doing, being left alone again was his outcome.

Slowly, the warlock looked towards Arthur. The man was panting heavily, that much was obvious even through the gag. As soon as the door had shut, he seemed to have rocked forward so he could lean against the wall. Merlin winced; Arthur's back was bloody and he seemed to have sagged in the chains. Without a word, Merlin released his own shackles, sucking in a sharp breath as he dropped to the floor before hurrying forward. He released his own hands were shaking as he tried to release Arthur's gag, finally tearing it away.

"Are you alright?" Merlin didn't like the look of how pale Arthur had gone, nor the fact that his eyes were closed as he clearly fought to control himself.

"Fine," the man grunted, forcing his feet back under him. To Merlin's relief, his eyes opened so he could look at his servant. "Thank you."

"For what?"

Arthur made to shrug before freezing. A soft whine escaped the back of his throat and Merlin knew never to mention the sound again. The action had just pulled at all the wounds. He thought he knew what Arthur was thanking him for though. He had just proved he was loyal to Arthur no matter what. Just as hurting Merlin had been the way Cenred tried to get Arthur to talk, he had known that Merlin cared more about what happened to Arthur than he did himself. Merlin knew that was the sort of loyalty that Arthur understood; actions rather than promises. Too many people had broken their promises to the prince for him to trust words.

Rather than saying anything else, Merlin reached up. He had to hiss as his ribs were once again pulled, but he quickly set to work releasing Arthur from his bindings. Luckily, being able to use both hands on the cuffs meant they were easy enough to open. Merlin thought they would be – Arthur had managed to free him before, after all. As soon as he was free, Arthur seemed to sway alarmingly on the spot and Merlin was quick to help the prince down to the floor. His hand rested on Arthur's shoulder as he helped him pull of his shirt properly. There was no way they could risk it sticking to the wounds on his back.

"Use it," Arthur rasped, lying on his front and closing his eyes again.

"Use what?"

"My shirt. I can't wear it. Use it to bind your ribs." Merlin could only blink for a moment, staring down at the fabric in his hands. When Arthur didn't seem as if he was going to say anything to the contrary, Merlin started ripping the fabric. With the prince's eyes shut, he allowed himself some magic to make the task easier. Arthur was right. He wouldn't be able to wear it any time soon. They needed all the help they could get, and if this was what Merlin had to do, then so be it.

"I'm sorry," he said after he had finished. He didn't mean the shirt and he knew by the way that Arthur opened his eyes that he knew it.

"Why did he want you to be loyal to him?"

Sighing, Merlin repeated what Cenred had said about wanting those words to help break Arthur. Glancing towards the door, Merlin took a deep breath.

"There's more."

"Go on." In a way, Merlin was glad to hear the steely note back in Arthur's voice. He needed Arthur thinking as a prince and a warrior if they were going to stand any chance of getting out of this.

"Morgause."

That was the only word Merlin said and he thought it was the only word he would need to say. Arthur's eyes shut in resignation and he let out a soft sigh.

"I see."

"Arthur…"

"Don't, Merlin. I don't need to know how this is going to make escaping so much harder. Or the fact that she probably has a way of getting the information Cenred wants even without me saying anything."

"I think they were going to force me to stand by anything I said about being loyal," Merlin muttered. He wanted Arthur to understand why he wouldn't say anything even though that had resulted in the prince being hurt. Arthur nodded softly, but then made the mistake of trying to shift and let out a soft grunt as it clearly pulled on his back.

"Just lie still," Merlin muttered, awkwardly climbing to his feet himself and starting to walk around the cell. It might look as if he was pacing, but Merlin was trying to find a way out. There had to be something that his magic could do in order to get them away without having to fight off the entire garrison. Considering he was injured and now so was Arthur, he wasn't sure he would be able to focus long enough to keep his magic fighting. The door was locked with a strong bolt, but Merlin knew that wouldn't be a problem. All he would have to do was think about it and the bolt would move to his bidding. It was what happened once they were out of the door that he was more worried about.

A noise behind him made him turn to see that Arthur was trying to sit up. Merlin swiftly crouched beside him, his protest dying on his tongue when he saw the determination blazing out of Arthur's eyes.

"The next time they come in, be weak."

"Arthur…"

"They might leave us unchained if they don't think we can offer a fight. I might be able to get a weapon off one of them."

"Arthur…" Merlin didn't know what to say. He knew that Arthur was a good fighter, and knew the prince always found a way of getting what he wanted. "They'll whip you again if they catch you."

"That's why they're not going to catch me," Arthur responded, sounding more like himself than Merlin had heard him for hours. That determination was making Merlin's own hope begin to flare to life. If Arthur was planning and thinking they could do this while blood ran down his back, then maybe there was a chance?

"What do I have to do?" Merlin hated acting weak, whether it was a pretence or actuality. But he knew out of the two of them, Arthur was more likely to be able to plan an escape. Merlin tended to just let his magic lose and not think of the consequences.

By the time the door next opened, but men were slumped against opposite walls. Arthur thought them being closer would put Cenred on alert. The first guard in snorted and made to walk towards the prince. A voice stopped him, however, and the king followed the man in. Merlin was pleased to see that he was still limping.

"How the mighty have fallen, Arthur. You aren't looking like yourself, _Sire._"

Merlin wasn't sure he was going to be able to keep up the pretence, not when Cenred moved across the cell and kicked Arthur in the ribs. The movement flipped him onto his back and even from where he was lying, Merlin could see how grey Arthur looked. He still stayed limp though.

"Hold him back," Cenred instructed the guard, who moved towards the fallen prince. Luckily, it seemed as if Arthur's plan was working. The man didn't move to chain him, he just stood over Arthur's crumpled form. Merlin watched closely, and had to grin when Arthur's hand moved and there was a flash of metal. The knife the man had kept in his boot was now in Arthur's possession.

But then Merlin realised he should be worrying about himself more than his prince. Cenred was coming towards him. Trying to make sure he still seemed docile while also making it apparent he wasn't about to give in, Merlin simply lay there and watched the man approach. He made sure to keep his breathing easy and steady, not wanting to jostle his ribs. Cenred stood over him, looking as if he was deep in thought before abruptly turning on his heel, snapping his fingers at two more guards.

They went straight for Merlin.

The warlock was vaguely aware of Arthur shifting, clearly preparing to come to his servant's defence if the situation demanded it. But the guards simply grabbed him by each arm and pulled him towards the cell door. Merlin struggled. He didn't want Arthur out of his sight, not considering how proud the man was. How could he stop Arthur being hurt – or worse – if he wasn't with him?

But the men's grip was biting and hard, and with Cenred (not to mention, Arthur) watching him closely, he couldn't risk anything else. The guards stopped in the corridor, Merlin hanging limply in between them as Cenred paused in the doorway.

"You're free to go, Pendragon," the man sneered, venom dripping from his voice. "I'm leaving this door open for you as I'm considerate like that. However, do not forget that I have your friend."

"No! Arthur, go, you have to…" Merlin was cut off when one of his guards clamped a hand over his mouth. That didn't stop him from struggling though, desperately trying to free himself. He couldn't be the reason that Arthur missed his chance to escape, he _wouldn't_ be.

"Take him to the throne room," Cenred ordered. It didn't matter how much Merlin fought to be free, he could do nothing as he was dragged along. Initially, he tried to take note of the twisting corridors to make sure he could get back to Arthur again. But then his attention was distracted by the bruising grip on his arms and how many times he stubbed his toe as they dragged him around corners.

Eventually, however, the throne room came into view. The guards didn't let up on their pace, but just proceeded to pull him in and all the way to the throne. Before Merlin could begin to question what they were doing, he had been thrown to the floor. The men followed him down, seizing his wrists and bending them behind his back. Merlin gasped, but it was too late as he felt the cold sting of metal lock around his wrists. An experimental tug as soon as the men backed off made Merlin's blood run cold.

He had been chained to the throne.

Trying to get his feet under him, Merlin fought the restraints as Cenred moved calmly across. The man slouched in his throne – looking far from a king – but Merlin was more concerned by the hand that fisted in his hair and jerked his head back.

"I will have your loyalty, one way or another. Either you will help me break the prince by admitting your desire to serve me instead, or I will break you until you're begging me to let you serve."

Merlin wrenched his head away, tears pricking at his eyes as he felt a few strands being pulled free. It worked though; he managed to get Cenred's hand off him.

"I am never going to serve you," Merlin spat, not caring if Arthur wanted him to appear as weak. He had been told by more than one person he was the most powerful warlock to have ever walked the earth. He had a destiny to protect and he had had quite enough of losing.

But even as he felt the magic rising within him, ready to end this once and for all, Cenred acted first. Merlin's words seemed to have tipped him over the edge. Merlin gasped as he felt the hand seize his head once more, but before he could think of anything that would get the man off him, Cenred wrenched backwards.

Pain exploded at the back of Merlin's head as it collided with the arm of the throne. For a moment, Merlin rapidly blinked to try and clear his vision. But even as Cenred's sneering face split into two before weaving back together again, he realised he had somehow slumped where he was sitting. The magic continued to build and Merlin was sure he could feel it pooling in his irises, preparing to protect.

He was too late though.

Even if a spell was forming in his mind, unconsciousness claimed him first. Merlin's eyes slid shut and he lost all awareness the second after he felt the coldness of the floor greeting him.


	7. Chapter 7

_Thank you so much once again._

* * *

Merlin came round to the sensation of moving. To start with, he wondered if he was dreaming but as sharp pain lanced through his foot as it caught on something, he knew it was actually happening. Unable to stop himself, a soft groan escaped him as he tried to open his eyes. It was more of a challenge than he was happy about, especially when the flickering light from the torches caused his head to pound with more intensity than before. He only became aware of the hands gripping his arms when the hold tightened, his guards clearly realising that he had woken up.

This time, struggling didn't even cross Merlin's mind. It was too much of a fight to stay conscious and he found himself grateful that he hadn't eaten anything for a few days for he was sure he would have brought that back up by now otherwise. Something told him the guards wouldn't have taken too kindly to that. But although the thumping headache could be accounted for due to its collision with Cenred's throne, Merlin had no idea why every inch of him felt like it was in agony. He wondered if the beating that Dakor had given him before was finally beginning to catch up on him.

Thinking was painful though, and Merlin proceeded to just let himself hang limply as he was dragged along. No one was talking to him; no one was taunting or mocking him so Merlin could only assume their orders were simply to move him to his new destination. As the air turned cooler and a shiver passed through his body before he could control himself, he thought they must be re-entering the dungeons. Despite most occasions that meaning something bad, Merlin was actually relieved. Hopefully it meant they would be taking him back to Arthur.

Unless, of course, Arthur had taken this opportunity to run.

Despite wishing with all his being the prince had fled, Merlin was almost certain that was not the case. After all, he was still alive. He knew Cenred would have had men watching Arthur to inform him what the prince did once the cell door had been left open and word would have been sent immediately if Arthur had ventured outside of the cell. Merlin wasn't sure whether Cenred would have stayed true to his word and actually let Arthur go, but he did know he would have made sure that Merlin was the one to pay the price for it, just as he had promised.

Merlin tried to stop himself from thinking and to focus more on getting his feet under him when they started down the stone steps that led to the dungeons, hitting every step as they moved. But that was too much effort and by the time they reached an open cell, Merlin was panting with the effort of staying conscious, his vision swimming somewhat alarmingly. He had to make sure no one had hurt Arthur though.

"Merlin?" A voice breathed and the warlock didn't know whether to laugh or cry at hearing it was Arthur. The prince hadn't gone anywhere. But that also meant he didn't have to do this alone.

"What have you done to him? You cowards, I'm…" There was the sound of a small scuffle followed by a gasp of pain from Arthur and it was enough to cause Merlin to look up to see the prince drop to his knees from a blow. It was clear he had gone for one of the guards and that had been enough for them to simply punch him.

"I'm alright," Merlin croaked, only to let out a soft cry as his guards simply let go and he hit the stone floor, hard. This didn't make any sense. His head was the only thing that had sustained more of an injury than when he left. But that had caused agony to shoot through the majority of his body and Merlin found himself curling up with a whimper, ashamed at himself.

"Get out," Arthur ordered through gritted teeth and Merlin had to wonder how angry he was looking considering the guards did as they were ordered. They were laughing though, and the clang of the door locking and the bolt being driven home did nothing to help Merlin's pounding head. He thought he should probably move but before he could turn the thought into an action, gentle hands were turning him over.

It was only as Arthur's concerned face seemed to blur slightly did Merlin realise his eyes were filmed with tears. He tried to blink them away before Arthur noticed.

"What did they do to you?" He asked softly, and Merlin made to grin. He wanted to say nothing, just that Cenred had knocked him out. But as he lifted a hand to support his own weight, he finally looked down at himself. He seemed to be covered in blood.

Merlin knew his breathing picking up to sharp gasps would do nothing to help his ribs but he couldn't help himself. Shakily, he grasped the edge of his shirt and tugged, wrenching when the material didn't seem to want to move the way he needed it to. Eventually, though, his stomach was revealed and Merlin could only stare. Cenred had quite clearly set his men on him while he was still unconscious. Every inch that he could see was bruised in some way, and Merlin was sure one was shaped like a boot, a small cut at the top of the bruise making him believe he had been kicked.

"You didn't know, did you?" Arthur asked softly, clearly having watched his reaction.

"He had knocked me out," Merlin whispered, transfixed by the horrifying site. A hand gently closed over his and Arthur tugged his shirt back into position, hiding the damage.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Merlin hated lying down like this and was trying to shift in order to sit himself up. Arthur's hand on his shoulder stopped him. It was almost embarrassing. He could tell Arthur was putting no force behind his action at all, and yet it was more than enough to keep Merlin down. He felt as weak as a kitten, and it somehow made it worse that Arthur wasn't teasing him about it. It showed how serious it seemed to be.

"If you didn't feel it, then you didn't bring it upon yourself. He did this because of me. I don't know if he still wants me to talk or is trying to goad me into doing something that will get you killed."

"Don't let him, Arthur," Merlin said softly. He didn't mean because he didn't want to die, but because he knew what that would do to his prince.

"Merlin…"

"Arthur, don't." Somehow, Merlin managed to lift a hand until he grasped at Arthur's wrist, clutching on with the strength he had. He knew Arthur only had to so much as move and he would have broken away, but he didn't. "Camelot needs you."

Arthur pulled away, but his movements were gently before he backed away to the other side of the cell and returned with two small dishes.

"They fed me. Here, drink." Merlin let his eyes fall shut as a cup was pressed to his lips and he could feel the gentle trickle of water running into his mouth. He swallowed greedily, trying to gulp down more only Arthur wouldn't let him. A soft whine escaped him.

"You'll make yourself sick. Slowly, Merlin," there was a firmness in Arthur's tone that Merlin knew meant only one thing. The prince was trying to take control of the situation again and Merlin found himself smiling. He knew when Arthur was truly determined to do something, not a lot could stand in his way. If Arthur held onto this mood, Merlin knew they would be out in no time. He obeyed, taking the water at a slower rate and sighing in relief by the time Arthur lowered it again. It didn't initially dawn on him that the water had just been finished, he just knew it was one of the most soothing feelings he had ever felt.

Before he could get over it, however, Arthur was helping him sit up. Merlin knew he had gone pale by the time they had him resting back against the cell wall and he was breathing hard again. But he remained conscious and lucid and judging by the look on Arthur's face, he didn't think that would have happened. Merlin felt himself feeling proud over such a small accomplishment, glad that it wasn't making him look weak in Arthur's eyes. But when the prince raised the bowl of food, Merlin turned away.

Just over half had gone and Merlin knew they had only ever been intending to feed Arthur. The prince had somehow forced himself to stop, although whether it was to save the food for Merlin or for later, Merlin had no idea. But he did know how hard it must have been; the rations were meagre and they hadn't eaten for days. Arthur lifted it, but Merlin shook his head, weakly pushing the prince's hand away.

"_Mer_lin," Arthur began, the scolding tone more than obvious in his voice. Merlin shook his head and was rewarded with a stabbing pain in the back of his skull.

"Can't," he grunted, knowing that if he put anything other than water into his stomach right now, he would only bring it back up. Arthur looked as if he was going to argue but then seemed to look again at his servant. Judging by the sigh, Merlin knew he had understood why he was refusing food.

"You have it," Merlin whispered, trying to push the bowl at Arthur. It was Arthur's turn to shake his head this time, setting it down to one side.

"You'll want it later," he promised, hands reaching for his servant again. Merlin let himself be pulled forward, but as Arthur reached for his shirt, he tried to pull away. He didn't want to see what Cenred's men had done to him. But more importantly, he didn't want Arthur to see. For if the king had done it to try and goad Arthur, seeing the full extent of his injuries would be a sure way of firing him up.

"Merlin, you've lived with Gaius for however many years now. At which point did you learn that leaving injuries untreated ended well?"

"Nothing to treat them with," Merlin argued, but knew the effect was somewhat lost by how weak his voice came out. Judging by the look on Arthur's face, the prince had absolutely no intention of listening to his servant and proceed to manhandle him out of the shirt. Despite Merlin gasping by the time he was resting back against the wall, he knew Arthur had been as gentle as possible. Arthur sucked in a sharp breath as he clearly fought to control his anger but Merlin refused to look. Right now, he felt weak and humiliated that Cenred had managed to use him against Arthur like this. He would look when he knew he could handle it. But right now, he would do anything to be back in Camelot with Gaius. The physician would know what to do.

"Wrong again," Arthur responded, and Merlin realised he had moved. It alarmed him to notice that he wasn't paying any attention to what was going on around him. Maybe that was good in the long run, for it was distracting him from the injuries. But it was only then he realise that Arthur had pulled over the remains of his own shirt and Merlin noticed they seemed to be wet. It seemed the prince had put the rest of the water to more good than Merlin had originally thought.

"This is going to hurt," Arthur warned. Merlin wasn't even sure if he answered or not, but just closed his eyes and leant back against the wall. What was the point of arguing? Arthur usually won and he had been right; Gaius would be furious if he learnt Merlin had refused to treat his own injuries. The fact that Arthur was still here meant Merlin knew he wouldn't go without him, and he refused to slow the prince down when they did finally get their chance to get out.

Arthur spoke softly as he treated the wounds, telling Merlin how they were going to get out of here and that Cenred wouldn't be allowed to hurt him again. Despite the fact that Arthur was just as much of a prisoner as he was and hurt as well, Merlin found that he was believing him. There was a note to Arthur's voice that was making Merlin remember who he was talking to. This wasn't just the Crown Prince of Camelot. This was the Once and Future King of Albion and Merlin just knew that Arthur was going to find them a way out.

Although Merlin knew it was more than just his stomach that was hurt, he flatly refused to let Arthur tend to any more of the wounds. He was humiliated enough at feeling so weak, he was not going to go further than that. Especially considering he didn't trust Cenred not to be keeping an eye on them and waiting for the opportune moment to enter again. Although there might not have been much Merlin could physically do, he was going to make sure that Cenred didn't get a rise out of him again.

"Get some sleep," Arthur said softly, his hand resting momentarily on Merlin's shoulder before he backed off to give the servant some space. Merlin had a retort on the tip of his tongue, but his body betrayed him and he found his eyes were drifting shut before he could say it.

It was a loud noise that awoke him this time. Letting out a soft gasp as he returned to alertness, Merlin's quick eyes took in the situation. Arthur was standing protectively in front of him, and the cell was filled with guards. Merlin thought he could make out Cenred standing behind all of his guards, watching with interest.

"Out of the way, princeling," Cenred called and Merlin knew instantly they had come for him again and that Arthur was refusing to let him be taken without a fight.

"So you can beat him to an inch of his life again?"

"You should have more faith in your servant, prince. He's apparently tougher than he looked. Besides, you're the one who decides if he lives or dies, not me. But if you won't talk, then what is to stop me from hurting him just because I can."

"He's just a servant."

"Really?" It was a different voice that answered this time and Merlin felt the hairs on the back of his arms stand up. He saw Arthur slump slightly before he regained his defensive position. Merlin knew why though. Arthur wasn't worried about fighting the men. But Morgause was a different matter entirely. Merlin was just glad that he had warned the prince before she had appeared though, for he wasn't entirely sure how Arthur would have reacted otherwise.

The men parted to let the sorceress walk through. There was a sneer on her face but Merlin was sure he saw something that looked a little like respect in her eyes. He thought he knew why as well. It didn't matter what Cenred had thrown at them, Arthur was still strong and fighting. Considering she had first introduced herself by engaging him in combat, Merlin knew that physical actions spoke to her more than words. She knew how to do subtle, but she also respected strength. Unable to stop himself, Merlin found that he was using the wall as leverage as he tried to stand. He wouldn't let Arthur face this alone.

"Morgause," there was a quiet sense of resignation in Arthur's voice as he addressed her. Morgause smiled, but it was full of danger.

"Prince Arthur."

"What are you doing here? Why work with a man like him?" Arthur jerked his head towards Cenred and the man made to take a threatening step forward, but Morgause held out her hand to stop him.

"Needs must. I would ask you why you are protecting your servant. It's what we have to do to survive, is it not? One cannot simply give in."

"What do you want?"

Merlin blinked as he stared at the back of Arthur's head. For the first time since this ordeal had started, Arthur sounded tired. He sounded as if he was drained from the fighting, his back and the mind games Cenred was playing. If it wasn't for how rigid he was standing, Merlin would have thought he would have given in.

"Revenge for my family. For my sister and the way she was treated."

"I didn't know you had a sister."

"You wouldn't. Uther had her destroyed."

Merlin found himself swallowing hard. Unlike Arthur, he knew precisely who Morgause was talking about. He had known that Morgana would still be here somewhere, but he never thought that Morgause would have been so open with talking about her in front of Arthur. But it was the word choice that truly had Merlin worried. Despite Morgause turning Morgana to her side, it was clear she still held a great hatred for the Pendragons for keeping them apart all this time.

"What has that got to do with me?"

Merlin found that he was pushing himself away from the wall, allowing his magic to build. Whatever had been happening up till now, Merlin had a feeling it was about to get worse. Judging by the way Cenred stepped forward, he thought the man might agree and wasn't prepared to let Morgause ruin his fun.

But he was too late.

Even as he tried to stop the witch, Morgause's eyes flooded with gold as her hand rose and Merlin knew their time was up.


	8. Chapter 8

_Thank you so much once again, especially those I can't respond directly too!  
_

* * *

The cell seemed to go icy cold as it was plunged into darkness and Merlin could feel an icy wind whipping around them. Something told him that despite Cenred being the king, Morgause was the one truly in charge. While the king might have been trying to find out how to get past Camelot's defences, Morgause had no time for details like that. She would kill Arthur here and now, just to make sure he didn't escape. After all, he was one of the main obstacles blocking Morgana's claim on the throne. Not only because he was the rightful heir, but because of his love for his kingdom. Arthur would fight until his last breath.

"Merlin, get back."

Merlin barely heard the mutter and couldn't even see Arthur. But he knew now was his moment. If he couldn't see anyone, it meant they couldn't see him. And while he had no true way to defend himself against physical attacks, this he knew how to handle. It was his destiny to aid Arthur in becoming king and therefore defend him against attacks that Arthur couldn't handle on his own. This was such an occasion.

Not to mention the last time he had met Morgause, she had left him chained in a forest for the serkets to feast upon. If just a small part of him would take more pleasure than normal at defending against her attacks, Merlin didn't think that anyone would mind.

Clutching onto the wall as a way of keeping himself upright, Merlin tried to peer through the darkness. He needed to know where people were. How could he defend them if he didn't know where the power was coming from? But his eyes were revealing nothing. He needed something stronger than that.

Letting his magic fill him up, Merlin kept perfectly still as he sent it searching through the cell. He had never tried to identify life forms from this close before and what he got back amazed him. It was as if he was sensing people in colours. Arthur stood out instantly, his life pulsing a beautiful gold from where he was still attempting to stand in front of his servant despite not being able to see him. The guards were of no consequence and Merlin let himself ignore them. Cenred's aura appeared to be a shade of green, but it was Morgause's that had Merlin gasping. It was an angry red tinged with black; she was powerful, angry and meant business.

Pulling the magic back in with a snap, Merlin fixed his attention on the direction he had sensed the sorceress. Raising his hand, he found himself whispering a shielding spell without truly realising he knew the words. Sheer instinct wouldn't be enough here, not when he didn't knew what sort of magic he was trying to dislodge. There was nothing to physical shield from and Merlin knew, for once, he was going to have to do subtlety. The magic flowed around him as it was allowed to breathe and Merlin felt a smile tugging at his lips despite the situation they were in. Warmth flooded every inch of his body, soothing the hurts and helping his exhaustion. Merlin knew it wouldn't heal him as such, but it was nice to feel as if he had the strength to stand up on his own.

But there was no time to allow the magic to stay focused on him for any length of time. Pushing out with his mind, Merlin forced it across the cell. All he had to do was keep Morgause's magic contained to the area around her. He knew Arthur was a fast thinker. The prince would already be planning something despite not knowing what he was fighting. All Merlin needed to do was to give him his vision back.

For a long moment, he didn't think the shield was going to work. Perhaps Morgause was actually stronger than him? He had always feared that would be the case, especially as all of their previous encounters had seen her victorious. Not to mention he was physically weakened right now. But just as despair began to seep into him, Merlin saw a flicker.

He wasn't even sure what the flicker was of. But that didn't matter. All that mattered was it meant the darkness was beginning to lift. He heard Arthur suck in a sharp breath and knew the prince had seen it as well. As the darkness continued to slowly ebb away, Merlin locked his eyes on Arthur to make sure nothing happened to the prince before the magic had completely gone. Judging by the step backwards Arthur took, Merlin knew the man was still attempting to stay in front of his servant. Using Arthur's back to hide what he was doing, Merlin forced his magic out in a wave, determined to end this for once and all. This time, he could feel the way his eyes burned with power and knew his magic was understanding that it was time to finish this.

"No!" Morgause's shriek echoed throughout the cell just as the darkness lifted entirely. Warmth flooded back into the cell and Merlin could see both Cenred and the guards trying to regain their senses. Fury began to seep into Cenred's expression and Merlin knew the man had no idea that Morgause would have turned on their prisoners on her own accord. But Merlin ignored them, instead focusing his attention on Arthur. Arthur had half-turned towards him and Merlin could see that he was pale and shivering. Merlin cursed. If he thought that he had been cold, it must have been nothing compared to Arthur. Merlin was still dressed, and had the majority of Arthur's shirt providing another layer from where it was being used as bandages. Arthur was topless, the vivid marks from the whip standing out in sharp contrast against pale skin.

Merlin stepped forward, "Arthur…"

He didn't have time to say anything more. A loud bang filled his ears and he turned in time to see the guards thrown back from where Morgause had her hand outstretched. She glared at the two prisoners before marching out of the cell. Cenred held up his hand to stop his men.

"Let her go. It's time this ended. String them up."

Realising that Cenred was gesturing to the chains again, Merlin found that he was taking a step closer to Arthur. He would never let Arthur down, not while he had breath in his body. But he wasn't entirely sure how much more he could take. Considering the trembles he could see passing through Arthur's body, he wasn't sure the prince could either.

Only this time, Arthur was not prepared to go down without a fight. The guards moved slowly, clearly believing they had their prisoners weakened and unable to fight back. They were right about one part, but wrong about the other. Arthur's fist swung as soon as the first man was in reach and the guard hit the floor with a howl, clutching a bloody nose. Arthur moved quickly, pulling the man's sword free and shifting his grip until he stood in a defensive position. The second guard was foolish enough to think he could still take Arthur and stepped forward. Seconds later, he had joined his friend on the floor, only the blood wasn't coming from his nose.

Arthur calmly stepped over the two men, eyes locked on Cenred. The king had fury burning from his eyes, but he backed up. It was clear he knew it was over and before Arthur had taken another step, he had fled from the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Arthur didn't stop his journey across the room, however, and Merlin knew it was time to get out of here.

"_Aliese,"_ Merlin breathed, sending his magic towards the lock and making a soft motion with his hand to encourage the lock to open. He didn't trust his instinctive magic right now and knew it was safer to be more direct. Arthur rammed his shoulder into the door and let out a cry of delight when it swung open. He clearly believed Cenred didn't have time to lock it.

"Come on," Arthur muttered, gesturing for Merlin to join him. Walking was hard, but Merlin bit his lip as he moved until he could stop by Arthur's side. It was definitely time to go home.

Cenred had already vanished from view and for a moment, Arthur looked torn, almost as if he wanted to go after the man. Merlin didn't mean for the groan to escape him as his body began to protest what it had been through, but it did the trick for revenge vanished from Arthur's face. He looked young and tired, and as if he wanted to go home just as much as Merlin did.

"This way," the prince murmured softly, tightening his grip on the sword as they slowly moved down the corridors. Merlin stretched out with his magic again, searching. But although guards were still roaming the upper halls, none seemed to be down here. Merlin thought he knew why. He had seen the fear in their eyes, knew they hated Morgause. No doubt the others believed if the witch was dealing with the prisoners, then there would be no need for their presence and they were keeping far out of the way. Right now, Merlin was grateful. He wasn't sure how much more he could do before he passed out. Unconscious, there would be nothing he could do to protect Arthur.

But it seemed fate, having abandoned them for so long, seemed to have returned to their side once again. No one interrupted them and Arthur seemed to know where he was going as he took each corner with a growing confidence. It was only then that Merlin realised he must have almost reached the outside world when he made sure Gwen and Elyan escaped. He would have been so close to freedom and had yet turned around to make sure Merlin lived. The warlock wasn't sure what he was ever going to do to make it up to Arthur. Washing his socks certainly didn't seem to be enough.

"What's the matter with you?" There was an alarmed note in Arthur's voice and Merlin realised he must have snorted his amusement at his own thoughts out loud. He shook his head, not wanting to tell Arthur that the only thing he felt capable of doing right now was sleeping.

But the prince didn't have time to question him any further. Merlin sucked in a sharp breath, wincing as it caught at his ribs, but a smile spread over his face. The air was fresh and there was a breeze coming from somewhere. They had reached the outside world once again.

They had made it.

Arthur's pace quickened and Merlin bit his lip as he hurried to catch up with him. Although he had lost all sense of time, he was sure it had been long enough for Gwen to have reached Camelot by now. They just had to stay ahead of the soldiers for a while, but they wouldn't have to do this on their own any longer. They had made it.

The smooth stone of the corridor soon turned into the rough pebbles of the beach they had approached from. It was overcast and the sun couldn't quite break through the clouds, but it was the most welcoming sight that Merlin could ask for and he found his eyes closing as his head tilted back, enjoying the warmth on his face. He hadn't truly realised how much he had been longing for natural light until now.

"We have to keep moving," Arthur muttered but Merlin didn't need to look at him to know that he was feeling the same. When he did look at him, however, he was alarmed to see the adrenaline was quite clearly ebbing away from the prince. Arthur looked ready to drop. Yet his eyes were still alert and Merlin knew they wouldn't be stopping until they were a reasonable distance away.

But as the pair made to take another step, Merlin froze. Arthur had clearly heard it too. The crunch of rock under a boot. Someone else was out here.

"Show yourself," Arthur ordered, pushing Merlin back with one hand as he lifted the sword again. Merlin let his magic fill him up again, knowing they couldn't make it this far to be dragged back now. The rocks continued to crunch as the person moved and Arthur gave a cry of delight as a dishevelled Morgana stumbled towards them. Merlin felt his heart sink. Would she give some sort of signal to tell her sister which escape route Arthur had used?

"Arthur!" Morgana cried, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly. Merlin knew that must have hurt Arthur's back, but he didn't say anything and Merlin was sure Morgana had done it on purpose to try and hurt him. "I was so afraid, there was this big commotion but then the guard on my door seemed to just vanish and I took my chances but I can't find Gwen and…"

"It's alright," Arthur soothed, and Merlin found himself wondering why Arthur didn't notice Morgana was lying. The King's Ward never got hysterical, no matter what they had been through. But it seemed she knew how to play Arthur too well. Morgana knew he wouldn't be able to resist trying to help her if she acted like this, and it would mean he wouldn't ask too many questions about where she had been for this whole thing. No doubt Morgause wanted her spy back in place now that they had failed to kill Arthur.

"Guinevere escaped, so did her brother. Help will be on the way."

"Oh thank goodness. Your back, Arthur, what happened?" The pair began walking away and Merlin rolled his eyes as he stumbled after them. He should have realised that as soon as Arthur found Morgana, he was going to forget about his servant. Merlin didn't realise his bitter thoughts were obscuring just how badly he was hurting until he stumbled over a rock and wanted to scream as pain tore through him. Just like Arthur, his adrenaline was ebbing away and exhaustion was setting in. He didn't know how far he would be able to walk.

Sinking down to the rocks, his eyes shut and his breathing coming in soft gasps, Merlin had to wonder how long it would take Arthur to notice that he had stopped following. If he noticed at all…

"Hey," a soft hand on his shoulder made Merlin jump and his eyes flew open. Guilt immediately flooded him when he saw Arthur was crouched over him, a concerned look on his face. After everything Arthur had just been prepared to sacrifice to keep Merlin safe, the warlock couldn't quite believe those thoughts had even entered his mind. He knew it was just exhaustion, but it still made it hard to look Arthur in the eye.

"We're almost safe. I need you to keep going."

Merlin had heard Arthur give orders in the past. But he had never truly appreciated what made Arthur such a good leader. He seemed to have this way of making people _want_ to do what he asked. Merlin nodded, beginning to pull himself to his feet.

"He'll slow us down, Arthur. It's safer if he hides, we press on and come back with help…"

Merlin felt the world lurch around him as he tried to straighten up, resisting the urge to turn Morgana into something like a bug. But even as he felt himself weave a little, Arthur's hand was at his elbow, steadying him.

"He's coming with us or none of us go," Arthur snapped. Merlin looked towards Morgana. The shock on her face made him want to smile if that hadn't been too much energy. No doubt she was convinced Arthur's affection for her would be enough for him to do what she suggested, especially as it was the king's children (despite Arthur not knowing that) against a servant. But there had been a note in Arthur's voice that implied he was not to be argued with right now and it seemed even Morgana didn't dare push him.

"Just stay conscious, you idiot. I'm not carrying you if you swoon like a girl," the fond teasing was back in Arthur's voice by the time he next spoke and Merlin allowed himself to smile as he forced himself to put one foot in front of the other. Arthur supported him the whole way and that alone was sign enough of how guilty the prince felt over what had been done to the servant. Merlin didn't say anything though, knowing that when they were both healed they were going to need a long talk over everything that had just happened.

They made it off the beach and back to the shelter of the forest before Merlin knew he truly couldn't go on. He could feel himself burning up and knew their attempts to treat his wounds hadn't been enough. Not to mention how many he had refused to look at. Arthur helped him down to the ground, biting his lip as he clearly worked out what he should do. To Merlin's relief, Morgana stayed silent.

They hadn't been sitting there for more than a few moments when Merlin heard something. The sound of hooves. Instantly, he found himself tensing until he realised Arthur wasn't reacting. The horses were coming from in front of them, not behind. A flash of Pendragon red through the trees was all that Merlin needed to see to know it was over. They had been found.

And if there was ever a moment to finally pass out, that was it. Merlin slumped where he was sitting even as Arthur stepped forward to call the riders over. But even with Morgana there, Merlin didn't care. He knew without a doubt that Arthur would keep him safe.


	9. Chapter 9

_Thank you so much for the support once again  
_

_One more chapter to go after this!_

* * *

It was dark when Merlin awoke again. He could feel that he was warm and comfortable, although pain still lanced through his body. He felt a little too hot, however, and as he tried to move he realised there was a blanket covering him. Hands scrabbled for the material as he tried to push it away, but before it had slipped even an inch, there was someone pulling it up again. Merlin was embarrassed to hear a whine escape him as he struggled with it, until a gentle hand ran down his face. Merlin's eyes opened.

"Gwen!" He sat up faster than he thought was possible, immediately pulling the young woman into a hug. Gwen held him back before encouraging him to lie back down.

"You need to rest, you're fighting a fever."

Merlin did as he was told, resting back and letting her pull up the blanket properly. There were lines of worry etched into her face and she looked exhausted. Merlin glanced around to see a small fire burning in the centre of the clearing, with knights sitting around it. He could recognise Leon from a distance and saw that he seemed to be talking to Elyan. Judging by the gestures escaping the two men, they were talking about swords. Merlin had to smile even as his eyes were flickering again. He might not have had the chance to truly talk to Elyan yet, but he seemed like a good man.

"Arthur…" Merlin was sitting up again before Gwen managed to get him back down. He couldn't believe that Arthur wasn't the first thought in his head, but considering it was pounding and fuzzy, he guessed that worked for an excuse. Gwen kept her hand on his shoulder this time, determined to keep him resting.

"He's fine. He was talking to the knights, but he fell asleep where he was sitting," Merlin could see the fond twitch of Gwen's lips and knew that must have been a sight to see. "He's safe."

"His back…"

"Has been treated, just the way your wounds have as well. You're safe now, Merlin, its over." There were tears lingering in Gwen's eyes, the firelight reflecting them and Merlin moved so that he could grasp her hand lightly. No doubt she saw this as her fault, and finding them in the forest in that sort of state – especially seeing the man she loved had been whipped – must be hurting her deeply. Merlin gave a gentle squeeze.

"We're fine," he whispered, trying to convey in those few words that it was indeed over and by the time they got back to Camelot, both he and Arthur would no doubt be snapping at each other in their usual way. Sleep was threatening to claim him again but Merlin fought against it for a little longer.

"And Morgana?"

"She was held separately to us all, Arthur clearly didn't have the chance to free her as well before he was caught. But Cenred didn't do anything to her, she's just fine."

"Guard her," Merlin slurred before slumber overtook him and he drifted away into dreams. Not before he had seen Gwen's face though and the small smile there. She clearly thought that Merlin cared for their friend and wanted her safe. If only she knew the opposite was true, and that Merlin wanted her under watch so she couldn't reveal their location again. He knew he had been moved while he was unconscious; this was not the same clearing as before. That had to mean they were out of Cenred's reach, but he knew how many guards were in the palace. That would all change if Morgana could signal his army.

There were too few guards and knights here to be able to withstand an attack. But Merlin was sure this was just the advance party sent to scout ahead to find any information they can about the place where their prince was being held hostage. They clearly hadn't anticipated the prisoners escaping on their own and while Merlin had no doubt that word had been sent back to the main force, the urgency for an attack had passed now that Arthur was safe. Merlin was glad Leon was with this group. He was the one knight that Merlin actually trusted with Arthur's safety.

Flickers of dreams roamed his mind as he slept and when Merlin found himself jerking awake again, he felt far from rested. It was still dark; he hadn't slept for long. But he knew there would be no more rest for him now. He felt ill from the dreams and the pain and the idea of closing his eyes and seeing such terrible things befall Ealdor again was not something he could stomach. The camp was quiet as Merlin shakily stood.

He knew there would be guards, there would be no way they would risk Arthur's safety. But as long as he was walking away from Cenred's direction and not providing any suspicion about what he was doing, he knew that he would be fine. Camelot had become his home over the last few years, he couldn't deny that. But part of him would always be that clumsy village boy and he had to check that his mother was safe. Besides, he knew they weren't actually that far from Ealdor, they were still in Cenred's lands.

Despite wondering what had made the knights stop – and ignoring the voice in his head telling him that it was because he was unconscious – Merlin knew he had to take advantage of this closeness. Muttering something about needing to relieve himself, Merlin stole into the night and began to hurry away from the camp. He planned to be back before the others awoke, but he knew Arthur would understand where he had gone. Gwen had been sleeping peacefully when he had crept past her, Elyan's arm curled protectively around her. There was no point disturbing her rest to explain, she had been through as much of an ordeal as they had.

Merlin wasn't walking for long when the hairs on the back of his neck began to lift. He paused, and there was the unmistakeable sound of a foot coming down on a twig from somewhere behind him. He hurried on for a few more steps before stopping again. The same thing happened. Someone was following him. His heart racing with panic, Merlin didn't even think of magic as his hand found a stout branch and he hid behind a tree, waiting for his pursuer to catch up with him. He only hoped it wasn't Morgana, for after the dreams he had just been subjected too, he wasn't entirely sure whether he would be able to restrain himself.

The footsteps came closer and closer. As soon as Merlin gauged the timing to be right, he leapt out from behind the tree, the branch held high. A hand caught it easily and tore it from his grip. Merlin stood panting, aware of how much energy that action had taken from him.

"I suppose I should be glad you tried to defend yourself, but honestly, _Mer_lin."

"Arthur?" Merlin felt his heart soar. This was the first time he had spoken to the prince since regaining consciousness and hearing him sound like his normal self helped raise Merlin's spirits more than he could have thought.

"Who else? Although anyone could follow you, you're not exactly stealthy."

"Um… why are you following me?" Merlin felt the tension leave his body completely and a grin spread over his face. Arthur was dressed properly this time, the knights clearly having brought supplies with them and there was a sword strapped to his side. It was clear he had eaten and slept, for Arthur's eyes were alert once more. There was a weariness in the way he held himself, however, and Merlin knew he would be a fool to say that Arthur had recovered. However, he knew Arthur. He knew that now the prince was able to move unaided, he would hide his injuries and pain from everyone and make it seem as if he was strong and untouched by what had just happened. Merlin knew he had to stop that from happening, but now he was more concerned about why Arthur was out here.

"You don't exactly have a way with words, someone needs to be able to explain to your mother what happened otherwise you will probably blame it on me."

"But I… how…. How did you know?" Merlin had left as soon as the thought had entered his mind, he certainly hadn't told anyone where he was going. By the pale light of the moon, he saw a sympathetic look cross Arthur's face and before he knew what was happening, the prince had put a hand on Merlin's shoulder.

"I know you. You would have never have broken, knelt or done anything without that threat. You certainly wouldn't have been on your knees in front of him unless it truly touched something in you. Do you really think that I thought you were just going to let that go?"

There was empathy in Arthur's voice that Merlin had never heard before and for an alarming second, he felt tears fill his eyes. Despite the secrets between them, Arthur truly did know him. There was no way Merlin could return to Camelot without making sure that his mother was safe. Arthur's hand dropped from his shoulder and the prince began walking off, giving Merlin a moment of privacy as he tried to pull himself together. Eventually, he hurried after his master – wincing at the moment – and fell into step with him.

They walked in silence, but Merlin felt closer to Arthur now than he thought he ever had. He always knew that Arthur protected his friends, no matter what, but to be on the receiving end of that… He knew they would most likely never talk about what had happened, but gratitude swelled in Merlin.

"Thank you," he blurted out before he could stop himself. He had to say it, even if it was just the once. Arthur lifted an eyebrow as he glanced over at him.

"For what?"

Merlin shrugged, not wanting to elaborate. He knew Arthur would understand what he was being thanked for and Merlin wasn't sure he was ready to talk about what they had been through.

"How did you slip past the guards?"

"Told them the same thing that you did."

"Won't they come looking for you though?"

"Probably."

Merlin almost stopped walking from where he was staring at Arthur. The man had just been held captive and tortured, and yet he was treating this as if he was a deviant child running away from his caretakers. Merlin almost snorted as the thought entered his head – it wouldn't have surprised him in the slightest if that was precisely what Arthur had been like as a child.

"But you'll… you'll be in trouble," Merlin finished lamely, not really knowing what else to say. He couldn't very well demand that Arthur turn back, not when he was more grateful for his presence than he would ever admit. Arthur shrugged.

"I told them about the threats made earlier, while you were sleeping. Leon will figure out where I have gone and they will come after us."

"But…" Merlin paused, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He knew precisely what Arthur had done. The knights may not have made the detour to a small village, even if their prince demanded it. But by going there himself, Arthur had just forced them all to come after him. He had promised Merlin that Ealdor would be protected and it was clear that he was making good on his word. Allowing the smile to emerge fully, he felt a rush of respect towards the prince. Despite all of his faults, there was no denying that Arthur was a man of his word.

"What are you going to say to your mother?" Arthur eventually asked after they had been walking in silence for a while. Dawn was just beginning to grace the horizon and Merlin had begun to recognise his surroundings. Once they crested the next small hill, he would be home again. Warmth blossomed in his chest but he shook his head in answer.

"I don't know. I'm not telling her the truth."

"Why not?"

"She would panic and probably refuse to let me come home again for fear that even existing in Camelot is too dangerous." Merlin spoke without thinking but then found himself wincing at just how true his words were. That was unfair on his mother considering she had sent him to the kingdom despite that being the case for everyday life for Merlin because of his powers.

"If you don't do what I say, you'll hardly let that stop you."

"You haven't seen my mother angry," Merlin responded bluntly and Arthur fell silent. Sneaking a glance at his face, Merlin could see him thinking. It was clear that Arthur was dwelling on the fact that he had never had to experience the sheer power of a mother's love and Merlin truly felt sorry for him. After all, Arthur had been right. Merlin would have knelt for nothing less yet there was no one that Arthur shared that sort of bond with.

They didn't speak until the village was in sight. But some unspoken understanding, both quickened their pace. Merlin wanted to be in the house before dawn truly broke. He didn't want people to start talking about Arthur, just in case word got back to Cenred that his escaped prisoners were taking refuge in the very village he had threatened to destroy. A few people were already tending to their animals as the pair walked past and Merlin felt his neck burn under the stares they were receiving. He wasn't sure if they recognised him or not, but two dusty, weary and injured travellers were sure to arouse interest. Merlin kept his head down and walked faster, barely aware that Arthur had dropped back a pace.

Reaching a familiar hut, Merlin lifted a hand and knocked lightly. He knew that his mother would be awake, even if she was not yet outside. Instantly, there came the sound of footsteps and Merlin felt nerves sinking into him before the door was pulled open. For a moment, there was a harsh intake of breath.

"Merlin?"

"Hello, Mother," Merlin said sheepishly, lifting his head to look at her. Her hand flew to her mouth as she stared down at her son before Hunith pulled him into a tight hug. Merlin gasped but didn't want to say anything about the pressure on his broken ribs. Instead, he just found a way to hug her back, the relief that she was safe overcoming his pain. They eventually parted and Hunith tenderly brushed his hair back from his forehead.

"Oh my poor boy," she murmured, beginning to draw him into the house. Arthur stayed where he was.

"I'll keep watch," he muttered, a strange expression on his face. Hunith drew back from her son and Merlin smiled, knowing what she was thinking and indicating that it was fine by him.

"Nonsense, Sire," Hunith said firmly, taking Arthur's arm and drawing him into the house before he had the chance to protest. She put her hand on his shoulder, clearly examining his injuries the way she had done for Merlin's before – to Merlin's (and Arthur's if the look on his face was anything to go by) astonishment – she drew him in for a hug as well. It wasn't the same as she had done for her son, but Merlin could see how much it meant to Arthur, even if he didn't look like he was sure what he should be doing in response.

"Now," Hunith's tone turned business-like as she ushered them through to the kitchen. "If you would be so good as to light the fire, Merlin, we'll get some water boiling and see about cleaning the pair of you up, shall we?"

Merlin bent down next to the heath, reaching for the wood in the basket next to it and beginning to build up a fire. He had always done this, partly because he never failed to get the wood lit, magic proving to be a solution when all else failed. It felt strange to have to reign his power in in his own house, but it didn't take long before there was a blazing fire chasing away the remains of the night. Already, Merlin could feel himself relaxing, only to jump when a hand landed on his forehead.

"You're feverish."

"I'm fine."

"Let me see your ribs."

Arthur snorted from where he was sitting on a stool, clearly finding it amusing that despite layers of clothes, Hunith could guess accurately what was paining her son.

"I don't see what you are laughing at, shirt off. That back needs tending to properly."

Merlin didn't even attempt to hide his laughter. He knew his mother didn't even realise what she was doing. But status didn't matter in her house when she had an injured son to deal with. Arthur was going to be treated exactly the same as Merlin, although the warlock hoped his mother drew the line at rapping his knuckles with a spoon if he didn't comply.

As Hunith bustled about finding rags and a pot for the water to boil in, Merlin found himself meeting Arthur's eyes. The prince nodded softly at him and Merlin smiled, warmth continuing to flood through his body. Arthur might be the worst patient in the world according to Gaius, but Merlin knew he didn't stand a chance against this. For the first time ever, Arthur was going to feel what it meant to have a mother.

He had protected Merlin as best as he could from Cenred, despite it clearly costing him in the process. The very least that Merlin could do was try to make sure Arthur was allowed to heal before he had to face his father. For if there was one thing Merlin was certain about, it wouldn't be hugs and comfort that the king provided.


	10. Chapter 10

_Final chapter for this one. Thank you so much to everyone who has read and reviewed the whole way through or even just dipped in for a chapter, they truly mean the world to me._

_Hope you like this last chapter._

* * *

Merlin couldn't sleep.

Again.

He knew he should be able to. He was home, he was safe and more importantly, both his mother and Arthur were safe. The knights had turned up shortly after sunrise and Merlin knew Leon well enough to know that the knight was angry with Arthur. But as their argument grew louder, Merlin had to admit that Arthur had a point. They would be in Cenred's lands no matter what, they may as well make sure it was in comfort. And when Leon had bluntly pointed out that it of course had nothing to do with the threats against Hunith, the prince had flushed and looked away.

That had been when Merlin had averted his own gaze. He knew this would never be forgotten, but also that it would never be mentioned. Uther couldn't find out and Arthur was too proud to admit what he had done once they had reached Camelot again and he had slotted firmly back into his role of Crown Prince. But Leon had let the matter drop and Merlin had dipped his head in thanks to the prince when they had next passed each other. Arthur had looked astonished, but Merlin moved on before things could get awkward.

He just wanted this to be over.

The rest of the day had passed, although Merlin had found himself bristling with tension and not daring to take his eyes of Morgana. If she signalled her sister, if she gave away where they were… It would all be for nothing. If anyone had noticed his mood, they hadn't said anything. Not to his face, anyway, for Merlin was convinced he had heard Arthur muttering something about "going through a lot" to one of the knights.

Flinging the blankets off his legs, Merlin huffed as he thought about that.

Arthur was using that as an excuse to explain why Merlin seemed to be on edge, even if he didn't know the true reasons. But Merlin knew him better than that. He wouldn't consider that he too had been through a lot, that this whole plan had been to break Arthur and Merlin had just been the one caught in the cross-fire. He had to find a way to talk to Arthur - away from the others and before they made it back to Camelot - to find out how the man was truly feeling.

But Morgana seemed to be as alert as him and she had spent the entire day glued to Arthur's side. It made watching easier – he didn't have to worry about Arthur while watching Morgana or vice versa when they were together – but he knew why she was doing it. It was clear that the threats against Hunith had pushed Merlin over the edge and she obviously was no longer sure that he would stay quiet.

Standing up, Merlin stared around his small house. This had been home for as long as he could remember, but something had changed in his thinking lately. This was just where his mother lived now; it wasn't home in the same way. That was Camelot, and Merlin found that he was eager to get back. But never did he anticipate that one day he would be staring at a crowded floor filled with knights, the king's ward and the prince. He was just a village boy and this is where destiny had led him.

But as he stared around the figures, Merlin realised there was someone missing. He couldn't see Arthur. Alarm filled him, despite knowing the prince knew how to defend himself, and Merlin carefully picked his way to the door. It felt like an accomplishment that he only managed to kick three people on the way out and cause a fourth to roll over with a mutter when he pulled the door open. The night sky was clear and Merlin found himself breathing deeply as he stepped out.

His mother had bandaged him up and forced him to eat some stew, claiming he needed his strength but his fever shouldn't come to anything more than it already had. Still, Merlin hadn't wanted to admit how uncomfortably warm he had been feeling for most of the day, but the cool night air was refreshing and helped revive him a little. But he couldn't revel in the feeling, not until he found Arthur.

Luckily, the prince hadn't gone far. He was sitting on a trunk not far from the house, sword resting over his lap and one leg propped up comfortably. Despite leaning back against another tree for support, Merlin could see the way he had angled himself to make sure he didn't catch the wounds across his back. Guilt flooded Merlin.

"Hey," he murmured softly, moving to sit on the ground so that he could lean back against the trunk that Arthur was sitting on.

"You should be asleep."

"So should you," Merlin retorted and silence fell. Arthur clearly didn't have a comeback for that. Merlin sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Why are you out here, Arthur?"

"Someone has to keep watch and the knights have travelled far in the last day or so while I've been sitting around. It's only fair that I take my turn."

"Sitting around?" Merlin repeated incredulously, twisting to face Arthur and then having to bite his lip to not reveal quite how much that pained him. "You do realise that you were whipped barely a day ago?"

"I think I can feel that, Merlin." Although Arthur meant his words in his usual casual way, it felt like a blow to his servant. Arthur was hurt… because of him.

"Arthur, I'm sorry," he blurted out before he could stop himself. "It's my fault, if I had just given him what he wanted…"

"He would have done it anyway, Merlin," there was a softness to Arthur's voice that Merlin wasn't used to hearing and before he knew it, the prince had slipped off the trunk and moved to sit next to him on the floor. Merlin stared at him.

"But he said he would do it until I swore loyalty." Merlin tried to ignore the way his voice seemed to waver a little at that. It had been easy to be strong while they were still in danger but now the enormity of what had happened was crashing down on him, the servant wasn't entirely sure how he was feeling. Arthur had been hurt because Merlin had refused to do what was asked of him. He wasn't sure he would ever stop feeling the guilt over that.

"He just needed an excuse and I think he wanted to punish you. He must have known the fact that you were so defiant was the reason I was able to stay quiet. He was trying to break you down so you would react more and then that would get him the information he wanted."

"I still could have pretended…" Merlin felt his voice trail off feebly. Deep down, he knew that Arthur was right. Cenred was just looking for an excuse and had used Merlin to provide that reason. As everyone liked to remind him; he was just a servant. No king would show that much interest in a servant when they had the Crown Prince of Camelot at their mercy. Still, the idea that Cenred had _tried _to use him against Arthur was enough to make Merlin angry.

"It wouldn't have made any difference, Merlin. Besides, you have to stop thinking like this; you're doing his work for him. It's over, we're fine." There was certainty in Arthur's voice, a tone that meant he expected Merlin to believe him whether the warlock wanted to or not. Yet there was something about that tone that gave Merlin hope.

"Will you tell your father what happened?"

"Some of it." Merlin glanced sideways at Arthur, seeing the way the tension had flooded back into his friend. Having felt the knot of guilt lessen slightly, Merlin knew it was his turn to try and help Arthur now.

"What do you mean?" He thought he knew, but he just wanted to hear Arthur say it out loud. Gaius always claimed talking through a problem made things easier. The trick with Arthur, however, was getting him to talk in the first place.

"Well, for one thing he might be led to believe the whipping happened first before Cenred realised I wouldn't talk," Arthur muttered quietly and Merlin stared at him. He knew precisely why the prince would twist the story. Even after everything, he was still trying to protect his servant, for Uther would not take kindly to hearing that Merlin's defiance had led to Arthur being hurt.

"I don't have to come back with you if you don't want me too," Merlin mumbled, staring at the floor and pretending to ignore how much even saying the words hurt. He couldn't imagine life away from Camelot now, but he also didn't want to be a weakness to Arthur like that again.

"Why wouldn't you want to come home?" The confusion in Arthur's voice, the fact that he saw Camelot as Merlin's home as much as the warlock did, made Merlin smile and he shook his head. The fact that Arthur had asked put his fears to rest; the prince wasn't going to dwell on how much of this was Merlin's fault. He should have done something sooner, should have used magic to get them out and none of this would have happened.

But he also knew that should he have been revealed and overcome, even now they would be finding a way to use either him or that knowledge against Arthur. It was bad enough that he had already been used against the prince, but Merlin knew it could have ultimately been far worse. His magic was dangerous, but Merlin couldn't help but feel the _knowledge_ of his magic was somehow worse. Gaius was right when he said it had to be kept a guarded secret.

"You…you don't blame me?" Merlin whispered, needing to know once and for all.

"For what? Withstanding torture? Refusing to let yourself be the reason that Camelot fell? For doing what it took to survive? We're all trained in these sorts of scenarios, Merlin. That doesn't mean we can necessarily withstand them. And yet here we are, having this conversation because you have survived it."

"So did you."

"I have to."

Silence again fell between them but now more than ever, Merlin found himself appreciating quite how much responsibility rested on Arthur's shoulders. He was right; he had to survive. If he let himself be killed, then Camelot had no future. If he had knelt to save his mother, Merlin found himself wondering precisely what Arthur would have ended up doing in order to make sure he stayed alive.

"You should get some sleep," Arthur muttered. Merlin glanced at him.

"We both should."

To his surprise, Arthur nodded and let Merlin steer him back into the house.

MMM

The next morning was a flurry of activity. Another messenger had been sent to the king to inform him that his heir was safe and they were returning to Camelot immediately. The knights were bustling about getting everything packed and ready to go, but Merlin just found himself on the side lines, watching. He had tried to help; he was the _servant_ after all. Gwen was allowed to help fold the blankets and pack the saddlebags. But Leon had simply taken it from his hands and told him to stay out of the way with a kindly expression on his face.

Judging by the smirk he could see on Arthur's face after trying to argue, Merlin had a feeling the prince had something to do with it. It was odd sitting and watching and Merlin found that he was almost itching to do something. Whenever he was with Arthur, there was always plenty to do. But as Gwen had pointed out, there was more than enough of them to handle it and he should focus on concentrating on how he was going to ride with broken ribs.

The thought had silenced him for long enough for everyone else to simply move around him and Merlin had found himself on the outskirts.

"You're going back?"

Merlin turned at the voice to see his mother watching him closely, tears in her eyes.

"You know I have to. You were the one who told me that the last time we were here."

"But you hadn't been hurt before…" Hunith whispered, a hand coming up to cup her son's face. Merlin folded his own hand around it and gently drew it away.

"Arthur needs me, Mother. You know that."

"And I need you to stay alive. Arthur may need you but so do I, Merlin. I can't bear the thought of you returning to that place for something like this to happen all over again the next time someone targets the prince."

Taking her hand, Merlin led her off to one side. He couldn't talk freely with the knights so close.

"Mother, you know I have to return. This isn't the first time I've been hurt or put in danger protecting Arthur, I won't lie to you. But it's my destiny. It's why…." Merlin glanced over at the knights, watching as Arthur seemed to be giving his orders. "It's why I can do what I can. I can't turn my back on that now, not when I'm getting through to him. You understand that, don't you?"

He knew by the way his mother cupped his cheek again that she did indeed understand. It was as if she knew her argument had been lost before it began but she had to try anyway.

"Merlin?"

Arthur's voice floated over and Merlin knew they were ready to leave.

"Promise me you will be safe?"

"Merlin!"

"I will, Mother. You know I have to go, and you know that I will take care," Merlin began edging towards the horses as he spoke, not wanting to be the reason they were all delayed. But his mother didn't let him go that easily.

"And you will visit soon, just so I know?"

"_MER_lin!"

"I will. I have to…" Gesturing somewhat helplessly over his shoulder, Merlin drew his hand from his mother's and awkwardly climbed up on his horse. He just about managed to hide his wince as it jostled his ribs. Smiling down at his mother with the promise that everything was going to be alright, Merlin touched his heels to his horse and trotted after Arthur. He ignored the smirk that Morgana shot his way and instead focused on catching up with his destiny.

The ride was long and hard for Merlin, but he gritted his teeth and didn't say anything. As the day wore on, he could see stiffness entering Arthur's movements and could tell the prince was also feeling their captivity. But no one wanted to stop and no one said anything. How could they stop when this pace meant they would reach Camelot by nightfall?

It might have felt like one of the longest days of Merlin's life, but the warmth that spread through his body and the smile that emerged on his face when the castle came into view made up for it.

They were home.

This time, when Merlin was ordered back to Gaius rather than helping with the horses, he didn't protest. Arthur took Morgana's arm and drew her inside and Merlin knew they were going straight to the king. He wasn't worried though. There wasn't anything Morgana could say that would be used against him, not after what had happened. Arthur had seen him be willing to be tortured if it meant keeping Camelot safe; Morgana had nothing against that. Gwen and Elyan also disappeared and Merlin suddenly found himself on his own.

Forcing his weary legs to move, he stumbled up towards Gaius' chambers. The door creaked open on his arrival and the old man spun, a relieved smile spreading across his face when he witnessed his ward standing there. Merlin grinned tiredly.

"Merlin," the relief was evident in his voice and Merlin realised that Gaius must have heard what had happened when Gwen had returned and reported to the king. It shamed Merlin that he hadn't truly thought what Gaius had been going through, waiting to hear if there was news or not.

"It's good to be home," Merlin muttered, realising that he was swaying on the spot as exhaustion caught up with him. Gaius caught his arm and quickly pushed him down onto a stool.

"What happened?"

Merlin stared up at him, almost not comprehending his words as he realised just how tired he was. But he did managed to smile.

"We won," he murmured, slumping against the table. How he managed to somehow get up the stairs to get to bed, he had no idea. His mind was foggy, his limbs uncoordinated and the pain was beginning to increase again after the movements of the day. But before long, Merlin was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling and relishing in the feeling of contentment that was spreading through his body and numbing him to all else.

They had won.

Morgana was wrong if she thought she would ever bring down Camelot. Merlin found himself thinking back to something Arthur had said on the road; about how they were stronger because they valued friendship and loyalty above all else. Knowing that he was home and safe made Merlin realise how true that was.

His bond with Arthur had allowed them to survive this. And there was no way Morgana would ever be able to destroy that, Merlin was going to make sure of it.

With that somewhat satisfying thought running through his head, Merlin allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

Cenred wasn't defeated, not for good. But for now, they were all home and safe and destiny still seemed to be on track.

Merlin couldn't ask for more.

_The end._


End file.
